A WOMAN accused of defrauding an Aboriginal corporation of just over $31,000 has blamed alleged travel allowance overpayments on a combination of her honest mistake, legitimate claims and administrative bungling by others.
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Selena Joan Lyons, the sacked former chief executive officer of the Riverina Medical and Dental Aboriginal Corporation, went into the witness box in Wagga Local Court on Wednesday to explain overpayments made over 30 months.
Lyons has pleaded not guilty to 28 counts of dishonestly gaining an advantage.
It is alleged Lyons repeatedly claimed reimbursement for travel, accommodation and meals for attending meetings of organisations of which RivMed was affiliated when she had clear knowledge those costs would be or had been paid by those organisations.
But questioned by her solicitor, David Barron, on each of the 28 allegations, Lyons repeatedly denied rorting RivMed.
On at least 16 occasions, Mr Barron referred to travel allowance forms for specific trips subject to charges.
Lyons told the court that she emailed RivMed finance officer Lorraine Martin the details of trips she intended to take for work purposes, but she did not fill in the travel allowance claim forms herself.
She told the court she never saw any of the travel claim forms before the court case.
“Were you aware of any overpayment from the trip?” Mr Barron asked Lyons repeatedly.
“No,” Lyons replied.
Mr Barron: “Was it raised with you before these proceedings any impropriety in relation to that trip?”
Lyons: “No.”
Mr Barron: “If you were aware of any overpayment, what would you have done?”
Lyons: “If I was aware of any overpayment I would have arranged to have it deducted from my wage.”
On one allegation that she used the RivMed corporation credit card inappropriately to buy a banquet meal at a Sydney Chinese restaurant for herself, her daughter, RivMed treasurer Mary Kitts and five other RivMed staff members, Lyons said she believed it was a legitimate transaction.
Mr Barron asked if Ms Kitts had raised any concerns with her about the way the meal was paid for.
“No,” Lyons replied.
Mr Barron: “Was she aware you were using the corporate credit card?”
Lyons: “Yes.”
On one occasion, Lyons was reimbursed for expenses relating to a meeting on the Gold Coast she unexpectedly could not attend because of a family emergency.
“What were your expectations about any overpayment?” Mr Barron asked Lyons.
“If there was any overpayment she (Ms Martin) should have raised it with me, like she raised it with everyone else,” Lyons replied.
Lyons said she held two bank accounts in her own name and there were two other accounts in joint names with her husband.
She said RivMed payments could be paid into one of her accounts or a joint account.
“We had payments coming out (of the joint account) all the time so .. I was not aware there was travel (payments) going in,” Lyons said.
The case will continue on Thursday with Lyons being cross-examined by prosecutor Caroline Dobraszczky.
