Accused fraudster Aaron Nattrass has told the District Court he had a love affair with a woman in New Zealand who would become his alleged co-conspirator.
The former immigration consultant said he began a relationship with married housewife and mother-of-one Helen Lowe Fuk-lan, after meeting her in 1987.
Lowe and Nattrass became business partners, running an immigration consultancy from New Zealand and Hong Kong.
The pair were jointly charged with defrauding the New Zealand Government by making forged residency applications on behalf of Hong Kong people, but Lowe was granted immunity from prosecution in Hong Kong and New Zealand, in exchange for testifying against her former lover.
The prosecution claims they submitted forged letters of job offers to back residency applications.
Nattrass yesterday told the court he and Lowe had gone on holiday to China, America and Disneyland in Japan.
Questioned by his defence counsel, Andrew Raffell, Nattrass said his relationship with Lowe had turned sour after he married another woman in Hong Kong in July 1990.
