Prison For Mokbel's 'broken' Sister-in-law Who Lied To Court
The Age
Wednesday October 22, 2008
RENATE Lisa Mokbel, described in court as a broken woman, will spend the next 11 months behind bars after lying to the Supreme Court about the extent of her family's assets.
Mokbel, 38, is currently serving a two-year sentence for failing to pay the $1million surety for her brother-in-law, underworld figure Tony Mokbel.She was due to be released next March, but will now remain at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre until September 2009.The County Court heard yesterday that after Tony Mokbel fled the jurisdiction in 2006, Renate Mokbel lied in affidavits filed in the Supreme Court and gave false evidence to a Supreme Court hearing in a bid to avoid paying the surety.Judge Tim Wood said that after the hearing police discovered hidden cash totalling $336,000 and jewellery worth $185,000 buried in her uncle's backyard.She was charged with two counts of perjury and not paying the surety, and has been in custody since March 2007. She pleaded guilty to the charges this month."It is crystal clear that your offending was premeditated and intended by you to ameliorate the consequences of Tony Mokbel's absconding on you," Judge Tim Wood said."You are now a broken woman. Your mother is very sick and your children are greatly anguished by the circumstances."Mokbel was sentenced to two years and nine months' jail, with 22 months suspended for three years.
© 2008 The Age
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