SA Aboriginal Sports Training Academy boss Lindsay Bassani charged after corruption inquiry
EXCLUSIVE: A senior public servant defrauded thousands of dollars from the Education Department while in charge of an important indigenous sports program, prosecutors allege.
A SENIOR public servant defrauded thousands of dollars from the Education Department while in charge of an indigenous program, prosecutors allege.
Lindsay Raymond Bassani, 37, failed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday over dishonesty charges alleged to have occurred while he was manager of the South Australian Aboriginal Sports Training Academy.
He is charged with six counts of abuse of public office and four counts of dishonestly dealing with documents after a South Australian Independent Commissioner Against Corruption inquiry.
After he failed to appear, ICAC Commissioner Bruce Lander, QC, gave permission to The Advertiser to name him.
The matter returns to court on Monday.
Court documents allege Bassani, of Semaphore Park, siphoned almost $12,000 from the department over a 17-month period by using “false” documents.
Bassani, who has been suspended on full pay, is charged with taking the money in various amounts of up to $5000 at a time.
He is further accused of having used his position as a public officer to have “improperly exercised power or influence … with the intention of securing a benefit for himself or another”.
A statement of summons, issued by Director of Public Prosecutions Adam Kimber, SC, also claims Bassani used his position to secure $1736 over 11 days in February last year for Echunga Football Club, where he is the A-Grade coach.
He is also accused of intending to deceive the department out of almost $3500 to benefit Raymond Thomas West.
The offences are alleged to have committed between December 6, 2012 and May 16 last year. Bassani has yet to enter a plea.
He was charged on June 18 under the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935. He stands accused of six “major indictable” offences, which mean they must be dealt with by the District Court or Supreme Court.
The documents allege that he deceived the Department of Education and Child Development out of $11,855.
In a statement, a department spokeswoman said an employee was charged with various offences following an ICAC investigation.
“The man was directed away from the workplace at the commencement of the investigation, and is currently suspended on pay pending the outcome of court proceedings,” she said.
In a written statement last month, Mr Lander said authorities investigated the allegations after receiving a report. It referred its findings to the Office of the DPP, which laid the charges.
Using sport and recreation as a “key driver” to help Aboriginal students receive a better education, the academy oversees 14 sites and involves students from 32 secondary schools, according to its website.
Known as the “Premier’s Initiative”, it launched in August 2004 following an order by then Premier Mike Rann to his Social Inclusion Board that it review Aboriginal health and wellbeing in the state.
It is supported by organisations including the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, SANFL, Port Adelaide Football Club, Surf Lifesaving SA, Basketball SA, Adelaide United and TAFE.
Bassani has said: “(It) is a unique sporting and education program specially designed to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students achieve their SACE and move on to living health and successful lives.
“Typically, students who enter SAASTA experience dramatically improved attendance rates as well as a shift in attitude and behaviour.”
Echunga Football Club president Kym Pocock declined to comment.