<\/p>\n
\nFormer roading subcontractor Frederick Pou pleaded guilty to giving gifts to an agent.
\nPhoto: 123rf\n<\/p>\n
A former roading subcontractor has been sentenced to home detention in a long-running corruption case.<\/p>\n
Frederick Pou, of Coastal Roading Contractors, pleaded guilty to Serious Fraud Office charges in May 2024 to corruptly giving gifts to an agent.<\/p>\n
He was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention at the Auckland District Court for giving gifts totalling approximately $582,000 to secure contracts to former Broadspectrum manager Jason Koroheke as kickbacks for awarding work.<\/p>\n
The architect of the scheme, Koroheke, accepted over $1 million in gifts for awarding contracts between January 2015 and November 2018.<\/p>\n
Koroheke was convicted and jailed for four years and five months in December 2024.<\/p>\n
“Mr Pou was one of several subcontractors who helped to enable Mr Koroheke’s offending,” SFO director Karen Chang said.<\/p>\n
“The case highlights the various roles involved in a corruption case, from the ‘corrupter’ who masterminds the criminal scheme, to the ‘enablers’ who facilitate the offending.”<\/p>\n
The SFO said the subcontractors submitted invoices to Broadspectrum, both real and false, which Koroheke authorised.<\/p>\n
Once Koroheke’s employer Broadspectrum paid the subcontractors, they then used this money to provide gifts to Koroheke in the form of cash, goods and services totalling over $1 million.<\/p>\n
Chang warned the case highlighted the risks associated with placing too much trust in one employee without sufficient internal controls.<\/p>\n
“These are critical counter fraud prevention measures that can reduce the possibility of organisations becoming a victim of fraud and corruption,” she said.<\/p>\n
Two other contractors – Richard Motilal and Brian Ravening – and a former Broadspectrum manager Aurelian Mihai Hossu, were also charged and convicted in the case.<\/p>\n
Richard Motilal was sentenced in August 2023 to nine months’ home detention and to pay $25,000 in reparation.<\/p>\n
Brian Ravening was sentenced in June 2024 to 12 months’ home detention and made a reparation payment of $300,000.<\/p>\n
Aurelian Mihai Hossu was sentenced to 11 months’ home detention in June 2022 and made a reparation payment of $90,000.<\/p>\n