The alleged $2.48 million fraud case involving Framlingham's Clark family will be adjourned indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Former Framlingham Aboriginal Trust administrator Geoff Clark, his wife Trudi and two of their sons, Jeremy and Aaron, have been charged by police with a total of 1171 alleged offences after a seven-year investigation code named Operation Omega.
Geoff Clark and his family members have always maintained their innocence.
A committal hearing was held in February and March and was adjourned to resume in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court during June before magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg.
That hearing was rescheduled until next Monday, August 3, due to the COVID-19 outbreak for a two-week sitting in Warrnambool.
But, due to restrictions caused by the pandemic, next Monday's hearing will now be adjourned indefinitely.
It's expected there will be a special hearing set down towards the end of the year to schedule the remaining two weeks of the hearing at a later date.
There are 11 witness still to give evidence in the committal, including bookkeeper Wendy Hernan and respected elder Lionel Harradine.
The case was delayed earlier this year after Melbourne barrister James Westmore suffered extensive injuries in a cycling accident at Dennington on Saturday, February 8.
He passed away in late February.
Elder Aunty Violet Clark also previously gave evidence in the committal hearing over three days and passed away on April 15.
A long-time Framlingham Aboriginal elder and trust committee member, Ms Clark claimed that former administrator Mr Clark made all the decisions about financial matters.
So far 10 witnesses have given evidence and been cross-examined.
Other key witnesses have included Geoff Clark's former right-hand man Michael Fitzgerald, bookkeeper Allan Thomas and the former head of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria Ian Hamm.
Mr Fitzgerald, the whistleblower at the centre of the alleged $2.48 million fraud case, claims he felt compelled to act after discovering Trudi Clark was still being paid seven years after she left her job.
In a summary of the case at the start of the committal proceeding, crown prosecutor Justin Lewis said the charges related to 16 alleged events and schemes which were conducted by members of the Clark family between 1998 and 2016 involving $2.48 million.
Read more:
- Aboriginal elder says she would not have agreed to Geoff Clark's legal fees being paid for in a rape case committal hearing
- Framlingham Aboriginal elder Aunty Violet Clark says she thought former trust administrator Geoff Clark was paying his own legal fees
- Geoff Clark's former right-hand man Mick Fitzgerald made seven statements to police
- Former boss says Aboriginal Affairs Victoria failed to monitor Framlingham Aboriginal Trust
- Police claim 16 events and schemes led to 1171 fraud-related charges against Geoff Clark and three family members
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