The applicants, charged with fraud over $5,000 in relation to an alleged Ponzi scheme, brought a Rowbotham application seeking state-funded counsel after being denied Legal Aid.
The court dismissed the application, finding that the applicants failed to provide full and transparent disclosure of their financial circumstances to prove indigency.
Furthermore, the court held that given the applicants' high level of education, business experience, and demonstrated competence during the preliminary inquiry, representation by counsel was not essential to ensure a fair trial.
