Offender sentenced to 8 years jail after pleading guilty to corruption charges laid after an IBAC investigation.
Mr Albert Ooi was today sentenced to a total effective sentence of 8 years imprisonment (6 years, non-parole) for offences relating to conspiracy to defraud, and receiving a secret commission contrary to s 176(1) of the Crimes Act 1958.
Justice John Dixon also ordered that Mr Ooi pay a pecuniary penalty in the sum of $2,342,614.06.
On 16 February 2017, Mr Ooi pleaded guilty to two charges that arose out of his employment with the Victorian Government's Department of Infrastructure (DOI), the Department of Transport (DOT) and Public Transport Victoria (PTV).
The first count charged that, contrary to Common Law, between 1 January 2007 and 9 January 2014, Mr Ooi conspired with six others to defraud the State of Victoria in the awarding of works contracts. The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years imprisonment.
On the second charge, contrary to s 176(1) of the Crimes Act 1958, on 28 February 2011, Mr Ooi corruptly received a secret commission from Furphy's Foundry Sales Pty Ltd while an agent for the Department of Transport, being outdoor furniture valued at $6,740. The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years imprisonment.
Charges were laid after an investigation by the Independent Broad-Based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) into allegations of corrupt activities in procurement in the Victorian Government's Transport departments.
'Your crimes were very serious, complex, and sophisticated, encompassing multiple accused co-offenders and businesses. Your role was central and I consider that the objectives of general deterrence, punishment and denunciation must be given significant weight,' said Justice Dixon.
'The sentence I am about to pass is designed in part to punish your criminality, denounce your conduct and deter potentially like-minded others. Those contemplating fraud on this scale must understand that a long term of imprisonment awaits them.'
But for Mr Ooi's plea of guilty, the judge would have imposed a sentence of 10 years and 6 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 8 years.