19 May 2014

Banks faces campaign donation charge

9:28 am on 19 May 2014

MP for Epsom John Banks goes to court on Monday to fight the charge that forced him to stand down as leader of the ACT Party.

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Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski

He will be tried by a judge at the High Court in Auckland on a charge of knowingly filing an electoral return that contained false information during his failed 2010 Auckland mayoralty campaign.

The Crown says Banks received a $50,000 donation from businessman Kim Dotcom and $15,000 from SkyCity, but recorded the donations as anonymous.

His lawyers say the electoral return was prepared by a member of his staff and he never read it.