âSeriously!â: Obeidâs barrister questions âpaucity of factsâ against former MP
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There was such a âpaucity of factsâ in the Crown case against former politician Eddie Obeid that the judge could not be satisfied of his guilt, his barrister April Francis said in her closing submission to the NSW Supreme Court.
Ms Francis, who arrived at court in a wheelchair due to a leg injury, was critical of the prosecutionâs case, saying it was full of âconceptual difficultiesâ and it was challenging for the defence lawyers âto unravel the riddle that is the indictmentâ.
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Former Labor minister Ian Macdonald âwas acting in the interests of the people of NSWâ and not the Obeid family when he opened up areas of the state for coal exploration, his barrister has told the NSW Supreme Court.
At the end of his long-running criminal trial, Macdonaldâs barrister Jonathan Martin told Justice Elizabeth Fullerton that the âthe inescapable conclusionâ was that his client was not part of any conspiracy with his former colleague Eddie Obeid and his son Moses and had no knowledge of the Obeidsâ property or commercial interests.
Former Labor minister Ian Macdonald arrives at the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney on 5th February, 2021.
Obeids and Macdonald deserve âcriminal punishmentâ, court told
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Guilty verdicts should be returned in respect of Ian Macdonald, Eddie Obeid and his son Moses, the NSW Supreme Court has heard.
At the end of a 12-month trial, which was delayed by COVID-19, Crown prosecutor Sophie Callan, SC, submitted that the actions of the accused deserved âcriminal punishmentâ.
Moses Obeid (left), Ian Macdonald (centre) and Eddie Obeid (right) are on trial.
Credit:Sydney Morning Herald
The Crown case is that in his role as mineral resources minister, Ian Macdonald, 71, committed numerous acts of misconduct in public office over a lengthy period of time to favour his Labor colleague Eddie Obeid, 77.
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The more the evidence is scrutinised, the âmore compellingâ is the case against Ian Macdonald, Eddie Obeid and Moses Obeid, submitted the Crown prosecutor in the trioâs long-running criminal trial in the NSW Supreme Court.
It has been a year since the commencement of the case against former mining ministers Ian Macdonald, 71, and Eddie Obeid, 77, along with Obeidâs son Moses, 51. They have pleaded not guilty.
Former NSW minister Ian Macdonald (right) arriving at court with his barrister Jonathan Martin.
Credit:Kate Geraghty
In her closing submissions, prosecutor Sophie Callan, SC, said there was an âoverwhelming circumstantial caseâ that should satisfy Justice Elizabeth Fullerton beyond reasonable doubt that the three men were involved in a conspiracy.
Sydney news: NSW rolls out new restriction for Western Australia travellers after COVID-19 case
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SunSunday 31
updated
SunSunday 31
All NSW arrivals from WA since January 25 are affected by the new restrictions.
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WA case brings new rules
Health authorities have ordered anyone who has been in WA since January 25 and subsequently travelled to NSW to isolate until 9.00pm EDT Friday, and get a COVID-19 test.
The new public health orders come after WA recorded its first locally acquired coronavirus infection in 10 months at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania all reopened their borders to people from Greater Sydney today, though a COVID-19 test on arrival is required in some states.