RSS Feed
February 2nd, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda Prosecutions have been dropped against former West Australian premier Brian Burke, lobbyist Julian Grill and fisheries department staffer Nathan Hondros, due to a lack of public interest.
The three were charged in November 2008 by the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) and Justice Michael Murray acquitted them in May 2010.
It had been alleged that Mr Burke and Mr Grill improperly procured information from Mr Hondros so they could benefit their clients.
On Thursday, Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) lawyer Bruno Fiannaca discontinued the case in the Supreme Court, despite the Court of Appeal allowing a state appeal and ordering a retrial late last year.
“The state has concluded that the public interest in the prosecution continuing is now outweighed by the combination of other factors, including the consequences already suffered by the accused and the cost of a retrial to both the accused and the community,” he said.
Mr Fiannaca said the need to deter others had also dissipated with time.
Outside court, Mr Burke told reporters he had spent about $1.7 million on legal costs, which had brought him close to financial ruin.
“I think it’s just been a terrific waste of money. I don’t think that there was ever anything in the charges and it’s been a very long and unfair process,” he said.
Mr Burke said there had been a physical, emotional and financial stress on him and his family.
“The CCC thought it would make its reputation by pursuing me but no one’s got any benefit,” he said.
“The CCC’s reputation is in tatters, it’s not respected anywhere.”
Mr Burke said he always felt that he had done nothing wrong.
Mr Grill told reporters he was “terribly relieved” to get on with his life.
“For my family, it’s just been hell on earth, it’s just been terrible,” he said.
Mr Grill said the DPP had handled the matter well, but he could not say the same for the CCC.
He said his legal costs had been about $1.5 million.
Mr Hondros told reporters it had taken an enormous toll on him and his family.
“We’ve always maintained our innocence, we didn’t think there was ever anything in these charges at all, so to finally hear the words that it was finally ended, we were pleased,” he said.
Mr Hondros said he was currently unemployed and had spent more than $1 million on legal costs.
He said he would consider pursuing compensation.
A spokesman for the CCC said in a statement that it was the responsibility of the DPP to commence and discontinue prosecutions.
“The lobbying inquiry had resulted in a register of lobbyists and a change in the way in which government at state and local level conducts its business in this area,” he said.
Views: 0
Posted in 
Tags: 
