On 8 April 2022, Mr Anthony John Dunlop, a former director of previously ASX-listed Capital Mining Limited, appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court charged with four offences of dishonestly using his position as a director.
Mr Dunlop is the third director to be charged after former directors of Capital Mining, Peter James Dykes and Peter Alan Torney, were charged in February 2022 ().
Following an ASIC investigation into Capital Mining’s activities, it is alleged Mr Dunlop, whilst a director of Capital Mining, contravened his directors’ duties by co-authorising payments from Capital Mining to related companies Poipu Bay Pty Ltd and Coolabah Capital Pty Ltd, which caused a financial detriment to Capital Mining.
ASIC alleges that Mr Dunlop dishonestly used his position as a director of Capital Mining on four occasions between October 2015 and November 2015, resulting in himself or others gaining an advantage to the value of $636,000.
The matter is being prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and was adjourned to 15 July 2022. The Court set various bail conditions for Mr Dunlop.
Background
On 25 February 2022, former directors of Capital Mining, Peter James Dykes and Peter Alan Torney, were also charged with 22 offences of dishonestly using their positions whilst directors of Capital Mining between October 2015 and April 2016 ().
Capital Mining, incorporated in April 2003, was an ASX-listed company based in Perth which was engaged in the exploration for deposits of gold, base metals, platinum, nickel, uranium and other rare metals in Australia and Ireland.
Capital Mining was removed from the official list of ASX Limited effective 7 December 2018.
A director commits an offence under the Corporations Act if they use their position dishonestly to obtain a benefit. Mr Dykes was charged with thirteen counts of contravening s184 of the Act while Mr Torney was charged with nine counts of contravening s184 of the Act.
At the time of the alleged offending, the maximum penalty for a breach of s184 of the Act is 2000 penalty units or imprisonment for five years, or both.
