A Melbourne drug and alcohol counsellor has appeared in court charged with drug trafficking and other offences, including perjury, for allegedly concealing a woman's drug taking and giving false evidence so she could avoid jail.
Anthony Dieni, 69, was arrested this morning by the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC).
He has been charged with almost a dozen offences including perjury, perverting the course of justice, drug trafficking and possessing firearms.
It is alleged Dieni concealed a 39-year-old woman's drug taking from the courts in order for her to avoid jail and continue under his treatment at the St Paul's Prevention Rehabilitation charity in Strathmore, in Melbourne's north-west, where he has worked for 30 years.
The Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard he arranged for a third party to provide a drug-free urine sample to be submitted for testing and then instructed the woman to get a prescription for Panadeine Forte from a doctor so that she could explain the presence of the medication in the sample.
Senior investigator with Victoria's anti-corruption commission, Emily Scott, told the court Dieni gave false evidence to the Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court that the woman was passing her drug tests and participating in his program.
Ms Scott alleged Dieni agreed to waive the woman's rehab fees if she gave him cocaine which he then supplied to his grandson.
The court was also told Dieni stole more than $160,000 from the St Paul's charity and used the money for personal expenses, including overseas travel by his wife and to pay $10,000 of his grandson's fines.
It is alleged a loaded handgun and a loaded shotgun were found in Dieni's Keilor Lodge home when it was searched by IBAC investigators this morning.
Magistrate Ross Maxted described the allegations as very serious, saying they "struck at the very heart of the administration of justice".
A bail application will continue tomorrow.
