KEY POINTS:
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has defended its prosecutions record under questioning from MPs.
National MPs Kate Wilkinson and Chester Borrows today questioned SFO director David Bradshaw on a perceived poor prosecution success rate and the negative effects on individuals who were investigated but never prosecuted, or later acquitted at trial.
But Mr Bradshaw today told Parliament's law and order committee more than 90 per cent of prosecutions taken by the SFO were successful.
However, a few failed cases tended to garner significant and sometimes misleading media attention.
He said about 75 per cent of investigations led to a prosecution.
The office opened about 20 to 25 investigations in any given year and prosecuted about 15-18 in any given year, he said.
Whether to take a prosecution was decided without "fear of favour", and the status of an individual in the community was not taken into account.
Ms Wilkinson highlighted the case of Hokitika lawyer Mohammed Shahadat, who has stood down from the West Coast Development Trust and the West Coast District Health Board pending a S FO investigation.
Ms Wilkinson said the investigation effectively meant he would not be able to work for several months, regardless of his guilt or innocence.
The SFO is investigating a 2004 property deal involving Mr Shahadat and former Greymouth lawyer Maurice Austin.
Mr Shahadat sold a house to Mr Austin in 2004 on behalf of an elderly Hokitika client for the market valuation price of $83,000.
Mr Austin on-sold it a few hours later to a third party for $103,000.
Mr Shahadat denied any wrongdoing.
Mr Bradshaw acknowledged the potential negative effects of an investigation and said for this reason the SFO never confirmed or denied an investigation was under way.
However, it could not stop other parties disclosing such information.
- NZPA
