Former chief of foreign aid contractor acquitted of bribery blasts police over investigation

Former Sinclair Knight Merz head Paul Dougas was acquitted of charges of conspiracy to bribe officials

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The former chief executive of a major foreign aid contractor has blasted police after being acquitted in a landmark foreign bribery case, saying its poor handling of the investigation was conducted with little regard" for its human, reputation, and financial cost".

In 2018, Australian federal police charged consulting firm Sinclair Knight Merz, a political donor and frequent contractor for the foreign affairs department, with bribing officials in south-east Asia to obtain work across almost a decade.