Central figure in Auckland driver's licence bribery scandal jailed

Corrupt testing officer Mohammed Feroz was jailed today in the Manukau District Court. Photo / Peter Meecham

The main man in a bribery scheme which "guaranteed" people driver's licences - at times without them even having to do a test - has been jailed.

Corrupt testing officers Mohammed Feroz, 58, and Daryl Govender, 44, were sentenced today by Judge Mina Wharepouri in the Manukau District Court.

They had been found guilty after a lengthy judge-alone trial last year of 55 charges of obtaining by deception for Feroz and 13 charges for Govender.

Feroz was also found not guilty on 16 charges, but despite this he was described by Judge Wharepouri today as the "central figure" of the bribery plot.

Feroz, a Fijian man who is married with seven children, was jailed for two years and eight months, while Govender was sentenced to five months' community detention and 200 hours of community work.

Both men, however, continue to protest their innocence, with Feroz claiming he was simply passing drivers "who were nervous".

The scheme, which lasted at least 14 months between November 2014 and January 2016, occurred at an Auckland AA testing centre.

It led to a total of $40,836 in bribes being acquired by the pair, with $36,030 being obtained by Feroz alone, the court heard.

Daryl Govender was sentenced to community detention and community work. Photo / Peter Meecham

Another man, Lovepreet Brar, would also get a cut for organising for people to get their "guaranteed" driver's licences.

Brar, who was earlier sentenced to home detention for his role in the scheme, said at trial that several people had paid bribes in cash - meaning the total amount acquired in the scheme could have been somewhat higher.

There was also evidence that the scandal may have started as early as 2012, the court heard.

"The reality is the scheme would have collapsed it if was not for the willingness of the testing officers to grant the licences," Judge Wharepouri said.

He said the plot required a "significant amount of premeditation" and some of those paying bribes for the licences were not even required to appear for their tests.

"Thankfully your offending is somewhat unprecedented," the judge said.

In a victim impact statement, New Zealand Transport Agency's (NZTA) Neil Walker said the scheme had negatively impacted NZTA's reputation and public confidence in the state agency.

Govender also unsuccessfully made an application for a discharge without conviction as he told the court he still holds dreams of one day owning his own driving school.

The South African man is now working as a courier driver, the court heard.

Govender also wanted his community detention sentence deferred to allow him to travel to Thailand for his wife's birthday - a request also denied by Judge Wharepouri.