Five SA public servants want separate trials over alleged hoarding of luxury goods bought with State Government credit cards

FIVE public servants accused of buying a wealth of luxury goods on government credit cards have told a court they each want to be tried separately.

Trent Rusby outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: Greg Higgs.

Editor’s Note: On July 28, 2016, prosecutors withdrew the allegations made against both Trent Rusby and Joe Rositano, resulting in the charges against them being dropped. At all times they denied the allegations. We have been informed by Mr Rusby that the South Australian Attorney General’s Department paid compensation for legal expenses.

FIVE Transport Department officials accused of buying a wealth of luxury goods on government credit cards have told a court they each want to be tried separately.

Four of the men, all part of the department’s marine safety regulation division, say they do not want to share a courtroom with their fifth co-accused.

They say it would be an unfair hearing because that man, regional coordinator of marine compliance Michael King, faces 23 charges while they face between one and five each.

On Tuesday, the Adelaide Magistrates Court said sorting through the increasingly complex case would require a special hearing — and that all five men should be on bail in the meantime.

King, 44, of Parkside, has yet to plead to 22 counts of dishonestly taking property without consent and one count of failing to act honestly.

Peter Braddock. Picture: Greg Higgs.

Former director of transport safety regulation Trent Rusby, 48, of Wistow, is charged with four counts of failing to act honestly and dishonestly taking property.

Oil spill officer Peter Braddock, 44, of Pooraka, is charged with four counts of dishonestly taking property.

Marine compliance officer Michael Fahy, 57, of Coonamia in the Mid-North, is facing three counts of failing to act honestly and dishonestly taking property.

Former manager of marine services Joe Rositano, 52, of Smithfield, has yet to plead to two counts of failing to act honestly.

Joe Rositano. Picture: Greg Higgs.

As exclusively revealed by The Advertiser, the charges relate to the alleged use of government credit cards to buy and misappropriate electrical and consumer goods.

The items allegedly include electrical equipment, 4WD accessories, computer and camera equipment, outdoor clothing, building materials, tools and pool carpet.

Prosecutors will allege a year-long ICAC investigation was prompted by “irregularities’’ discovered during routine stocktaking.

They will further allege more than $50,000 worth of goods were seized from one of the men’s homes.

On Tuesday, Rusby, Braddock, Fahy and Rositano appeared in court but King — the former chief executive of Coober Pedy District Council and a one-time Alexandrina Council elected member — did not.

Michael Fahy. Picture: Greg Higgs.

Michael Abbott, QC, for King, apologised for his client’s absence.

“We are pleading not guilty to 23 counts, so I imagine (the alleged co-offenders) would be anxious to sever themselves from a 23-count information,” he said.

Counsel for the other men confirmed that was the case, with some adding they would seek to have some of the charges against their clients dismissed prior to any trial.

Magistrate Bob Harrap said it would be best if the case were preallocated to a specific magistrate who could monitor its progress.

“All of the defendants ought to be here on the next occasion ... they are not currently on bail, and that is an issue for me,” he said.

He adjourned the case for two weeks.

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