Security guards paid for passes
•By Byron Kaye
•From: The Daily Telegraph
•August 25, 2009 12:29AM
They might have had no English and no experience - but for $300 students at the state's biggest security training school allegedly walked away qualified in just one day.
Meanwhile their "trainers" - whose jobs amounted to little more than marking exam papers for which the answers had already been supplied - earned huge sums.
That was the damning picture of Roger Training Academy, which churned out a quarter of the state's accredited security guards until it was shut down in March, presented to the ICAC yesterday.
The commission heard the western Sydney college gave students answers to exam questions in advance, issued first aid certificates without training and faked resumes. It allegedly had its staff write out students' exam answers for qualifications that included gun handling, basic English, and conflict negotiation.
Students were charged between $300 and $500 for the same-day service - payable in cash only.
"Toward the end there were a lot of students who were walking in, who I didn't know from a bar of soap, who were just writing out the (supplied) answers," a trainer, Dru Hyland, told the commission. "It was definitely dishonest, Your Honour."
Mr Hyland agreed the practice amounted to corruption but said he was under pressure from the company's principal, Ahmed Mossani, and the students themselves.
Recorded telephone calls showed Mr Hyland less remorseful.
He told a friend he made $150,000 in five months - equivalent to a senior parliamentarian or CEO.
He enjoyed his newfound riches, telling the friend he used the cash for a holiday in Vanuatu, had splashed out cash on a new motorbike, four-wheel drive and another new car for his wife and set up his own business.
"I've had the money to do stuff I've been trying to do for so long," he said. "I've now got an opportunity to earn a great whack in a short period of time."
He denied the $150,000 figure - saying it was closer to $90,000 - explaining he had a "slapstick" relationship with the friend and he was exaggerating.
The commission heard more than $1.3 million was deposited into Mr Mossani's bank accounts between August 2007 and April 2009.
Counsel assisting, Carolyn Davenport SC, said: "Subverting the correct assessment process created an opportunity for persons at Roger to make large sums of money."
Mr Mossani is expected to give evidence later this week.
The inquiry continues today.
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