A High Court judge has reserved her decision on whether former cabinet minister Tuariki Delamere should get costs from a failed attempt to prosecute him for fraud.
Delamere, the former Immigration Minister, is seeking a six figure sum in costs incurred when defending himself against 20 fraud charges.
Delamere was found not guilty after a trial early this year of the charges, which related to schemes operating when he was an immigration consultant from 2001 to 2004.
Justice Patricia Courtney reserved her decision following a one-day hearing at the High Court in Auckland today.
The former NZ First MP today alleged the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) failed to investigate his case properly.
He said it was particularly unbelievable that the SFO did not interview some key people involved in the immigration scheme, and that they then expected him to know this.
Mr Delamere said his defence cost him about $250,000 and he was also deprived of more than $1 million in lost opportunities, but it was up to the judge how much if any costs would be awarded.
Delamere has also lodged separate private criminal prosecutions against members of the Serious Fraud Office and the Immigration Service.
- NZPA
