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A Maori school leader has pleaded guilty to defrauding the Ministry of Education of nearly $300,000.
John Poari Newton, 47, pleaded guilty to three fraud-related charges in Rotorua District Court yesterday.
The former Te Kura o Te Whakarewarewa Board of Trustees chairman admitted to creating fake documents and sending them to the ministry so his company could be awarded $285,000 to carry out building upgrades at the school, The Daily Post reported.
In 2005, Newton was the sole owner and director of Newbac Ltd, a construction and consultancy company.
His wife, Pip Newton, was a teacher at the school.
Newton supplied the ministry with documents, including quotes, claiming the board had decided a firm called Form Design Construction would carry out upgrades to the ablution, junior and administration blocks.
The ministry accepted the decision and awarded the funds.
Newton was a project manager with Form Design Construction but the owner told police he had not tendered for any jobs at the school or carried out any work.
Newbac had done the work.
All invoices were paid by cheque and made out to Form Design Construction and all payments were deposited into accounts operated by Newton.
After the court hearing Newton told the newspaper that he created the documents to speed up the work for the benefit of the children.
"The aim was to basically bring some respect back to the school for the children," he said.
He was remanded on bail for sentencing on January 23.
- NZPA
