Islamic College fraud accused seeks Christmas in China

as posted on WAToday

* Chris Thomson
* September 25, 2008 - 1:42PM

One of three men from Perth's Australian Islamic College charged with fraud after allegedly obtaining more than $3 million from the State and Federal Governments wants to spend Christmas in China.

In June, Major Fraud Squad officers charged Mark Brian Debowski, 50, and his associates Abdallah Saad Magar, 69 and Aziz Magdi, 53 after search warrants were executed at three of the college's schools in Thornlie, Kewdale and Dianella.

When the trio appeared in Perth Magistrates Court today, Debowski's lawyer asked that his client's seized passport be returned so he could travel to China for business and to visit relatives between December 19 and January 29.

Debowski's lawyer said his client did not pose a flight risk because he had family and business ties to Perth, a $2 million property at Peppermint Grove, and a daughter enrolled for next year at Methodist Ladies' College.

Debowski had visited China in 2007, 2006 and 2005, and had always returned, his lawyer said.

Crown prosecutor Gemma Biggs opposed the passport's return, until she could review details of Debowski's planned itinerary and Perth assets, which had only been recently provided to her.

Magistrate Steven Heath adjourned the bail amendment application until October 1.

He said he was loathe to approve the application until the property and itinerary details could be provided.

But Magistrate Heath noted the passport bid was "likely to be successful" if the details checked out.

The three accused have not yet pleaded to charges that they inflated enrolments at the Australian Islamic College to gain millions of dollars in extra state and federal funding.

Debowski and Magdi were principals at two of the schools, while Magar was the college's founder and director.

It is alleged $3,166,160 in total was stolen from the State and Federal Governments between 2005 and 2006. Most of the money, about $2.5 million, was from the Commonwealth.

The trio faces a mixture of federal and state charges, which carry penalties of up to 10 years' jail for each man.

Magdi and Debowski were bailed to appear in court again on November 20.

as posted on WAToday