A lawyer representing Daryl Maguire has stated in the New South Wales District Court that it is “inconceivable” to believe the former Member of Parliament would intentionally mislead individuals in connection with an alleged fraudulent visa operation.
The ex-Liberal Party MP has entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit an offence. The jury is scheduled to deliberate on their verdict tomorrow.
The court has been informed that Daryl Maguire, aged 67, was “kept unaware” of the illicit aspects of the visa scheme in which he participated. His trial is currently underway in the NSW District Court following his not guilty plea to conspiracy charges related to activities conducted between 2013 and 2015, during his tenure as the representative for Wagga Wagga.
Maguire is accused of being aware that false or misleading information would be submitted to the federal government in visa applications, allowing non-citizens to remain in Australia. Over the course of ten days, the court has received evidence indicating that Maguire was involved in a program aimed at securing permanent residency for Chinese nationals.
His alleged accomplices include Maggie Wang, also known as Maggie Logan, and migration agent Monica Hao. Today, Mr. Maguire’s attorney, Ian McLachlan, presented his closing arguments to the jury, following the concluding remarks by crown prosecutor Sean Flood SC the previous day.
McLachlan emphasized that Maguire’s involvement in the scheme was limited to encouraging local businesses to participate. “His role was to identify… Mr. Maguire refers individuals to Maggie [Wang], and she takes charge from there,” he noted. “Mr. Maguire did not have a direct hand in creating or submitting documents. He had no motive to engage in an illegal scheme.”
The defense highlighted that Mr. Maguire’s situation was akin to that of the businesses involved in the scheme, suggesting that they were similarly uninformed. “They were essentially kept in the dark, and Mr. Maguire found himself in the same predicament,” he stated.
Additionally, the defense referenced a text message sent by Mr. Maguire, which indicated his belief that the initiative was legitimate. “His understanding was that everything was above board. There was no intention to misrepresent anything,” McLachlan argued. He further contended that as a sitting parliamentarian at the time, it would not be logical for Maguire to engage in a scheme designed to deceive.
“To think he would intentionally mislead people is unbelievable. Mr. Maguire would not partake in any insincere operation,” he asserted. The court had previously heard that businesses involved in sponsoring visa applicants or participating in related meetings received financial payments. McLachlan cautioned the jury to be cautious in its interpretation of this information. “There was nothing underhanded about it,” he remarked. “It was simply the manner in which the funds were exchanged.”
The jury is anticipated to begin deliberations on their verdict this Friday.
