An additional statement from a whistleblower has prompted a Warrnambool committal hearing into a $2 million fraud case to be adjourned until this afternoon.
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Framlingham's Geoff Clark, his wife Trudi and two of their sons, Aaron and Jeremy, have been charged with 1171 fraud offences and a committal hearing expected to last three weeks started in the Warrnambool Magistrate Court this morning at 10am.
Just before 11.30am magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg adjourned the committal hearing until 2pm.
Police provided an additional hand-written statement made by whistleblower Michael Fitzgerald to barristers for the defendants.
Mr Fitzgerald was Geoff Clark's former right-hand man and the Framlingham Aboriginal Trust special projects/community development officer.
Mr Clark was the trust's administrator for more than 20 years.
Mr Fitzgerald provided five statements to police.
The hand-written statement was made on the same day as another statement, which had been provided to defence barristers but the hand written statement was overlooked.
Barrister Tim Smurthwaite, for Geoff Clark, said there was new information included in the hand-written statement.
He requested time to consider that information before cross-examination of Mr Fitzgerald starts this afternoon.
The magistrate agreed to the request.
It's expected that Mr Fitzgerald will be cross-examined for the remainder of today's hearing and into tomorrow.
The court also heard that potential witness Violet Clark was currently in hospital but she is expected to be able to give evidence later in the hearing.
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