Raminder Kahlon, Alex El-Debel, sentenced for Department of Finance conspiracy

Two men who were involved in a recruitment conspiracy against the Department of Finance have learned their fate. Find out what happened in court.

Raminder Kahlon and Alex El-Debel have been sentenced over a recruitment conspiracy against the Department of Finance. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

Two “intelligent” men who “ruined their reputations” by being involved in a recruitment stacking conspiracy have been spared time behind bars.

Following a four-week trial at the ACT Supreme Court in July, former senior Department of Finance bureaucrat Abul “Alex” Aziz El-Debel and former contractor Raminder Singh Kahlon were found guilty of conspiracy.

In summarising the case, Judge Michael Elkaim explained El-Debel would sit on evaluation panels for new candidates.

However, El-Debel, 49, and Kahlon, 37, were also owners of two companies, New Horizon Business Solutions and Algoram, with both companies putting forward candidates for various IT positions at the Department.

Raminder Kahlon (left) leaves the ACT Law Courts with his lawyer. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

“If accepted, the candidates, who were subcontractors, would usually be remunerated by payment from the Department to the companies, which would deduct a margin — essentially a commission — from the payment before passing the balance onto the subcontractor,” Justice Elkaim said.

“The essence of the conspiracy was the conspirators would facilitate the procurement process to the advantage of candidates that had been put forward by the two companies.”

Prosecutors did not provide evidence of a loss of government funds relating to the conspiracy.

Justice Elkaim described both men as equally culpable for their roles in the conspiracy and said neither men had expressed remorse or contrition for their actions.

“Ultimately, I am faced with sentencing two intelligent, high achieving, respected family men who have, probably through greed, ruined their reputations and harmed their families’ lives,” Justice Elkaim said.

Former bureaucrat Abdul "Alex" Aziz El-Debel leaves court after being sentenced for his role in a recruitment conspiracy. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

He said El-Debel was born in Lebanon, went to high school in Sydney and moved to Canberra after being offered a contract with the Canberra Raiders.

After completing degrees in finance and commerce, El-Debel began his career at Australian Public Service in 2005.

Justice Elkaim said the bureaucrat maintained his innocence and told authors of his pre-sentence report he should have been “praised” for making decisions that “saved costs to the taxpayers”

“He may be right,” Justice Elkaim said.

“Unfortunately, he did it in the wrong way and, even if to an unknown extent, to his own benefit.

The judge said Kahlon was born in India, where he studied IT at university before moving to Australia.

Justice Elkaim said there were concerns Kahlon’s wife and child would need to return to India if he was jailed.

“I am not prepared to sentence these two men to full-time imprisonment on the basis of almost total speculation as to the effects of the crimes, in particular uncertainty as to the duration of the conspiracy, the extent of the gain produced by the conspiracy and of the loss — if any — suffered by the Department of Finance,” Justice Elkaim said.

“Both offenders have families who will no doubt suffer, emotionally and economically, if a custodial sentence is imposed.”

The judge sentenced both men to intensive correction orders for three years and six months, backdated to July 7 2022, to May 14 2026.

Both men will be required to serve 300 hours of community service.