Second man freed over Lawyer X scandal
A second man has been freed over the Lawyer X scandal, with Mokbel money man Zlate Cvetanovski acquitted of his drug trafficking charges after almost a decade in prison.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Mokbel money man Zlate Cvetanovski has become the second person to have his convictions quashed due to the Lawyer X scandal.
After almost a decade behind bars, Cvetanovski was on Friday acquitted of all drug trafficking charges with a Court of Appeal ruling there had been a “substantial miscarriage of justice”.
Cvetanovski, 56, was convicted of commercial drug trafficking in 2011 and had been represented by gangland barrister turned police informer, Nicola Gobbo, since 2006.
The court on Friday heard Gobbo had conspired with a “pivotal” witness – dubbed Mr Cooper – in the trial against Cvetanovski.
“At that time, unbeknown to (Cvetanovski) Ms Gobbo was a registered police informer, was acting as Mr Cooper’s legal adviser and had persuaded Mr Cooper to co-operate with police and incriminate (Cvetanovski),” Justice Maxwell said.
It follows stunning revelations last week that Gobbo and gangland detectives made a series of secret payments to Mr Cooper.
“This included regular payments into his prison canteen fund as well as one-off payments to him,” Mr Maxwell said.
The Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd QC conceded the failure of Victoria Police to disclose the full extent of the payments made to Mr Cooper resulted in a substantial miscarriage of justice.
The concealment of the secret payments meant the jury had been unable to make a proper assessment of Mr Cooper’s credibility, the court heard.
Mr Cooper made in excess of 40 police statements about various people, including Tony Mokbel, after being duped by Gobbo, who Justice Maxwell said he shared a “extremely close personal relationship” with.
The evidence Mr Cooper gave landed multiple convictions, including Cvetanovski’s, and helped implode the Mokbel drug empire.
The DPP also conceded it would be “unjust” to order a fresh trial given Cvetanovski had served nearly all of his minimum term when he was bailed in May this year.
In July last year Faruk Orman walked free from the Supreme Court after Gobbo’s duplicity as both a defence lawyer and police informer was exposed.
It is understood Cvetanovski will now sue Victoria Police for damages.
Cvetanovski said Friday’s judgement was an end to a “traumatic, frustrating and confusing period of (his) life”.
He said it was “beyond explanation” that he was denied the very basics of procedural fairness during his trial by people who “swore an oath to uphold the law”.
“To those following the Royal Commission, the revelations of the conduct between Ms Gobbo and Victoria Police have been shocking, scandalous and unprecedented in Australia’s legal system,” he said in a statement.
“It is difficult to express in a few words what it feels like to be shunned and stigmatized,” he said.
Cvetanovkski said he was grateful the DPP had conceded his appeal which allowed him to close the door on this chapter of his life.
“This wrongful conviction adversely impacted on me, my relationship with family and friends, and my sense of self,” he said.
“I am grateful to my family who have remained by my side at times when I felt truly alone and supported me throughout this ordeal.”
READ MORE:
LAWYER X: THE SCORPION’S STING