Men sentenced for illegal WOFs

Two people involved with unauthorised vehicle inspections in Auckland have been sentenced.

Juan Carlos Acarapi Scoria, a vehicle inspector, and mechanic Gideon Tali, both of Automotive New Lynn, have been given five months’ community detention and 60 hours’ community work respectively.

They were sentenced in Waitakere District Court on February 27 for accessing a computer system – WOF Online – for dishonest purposes.

Acting on a tip-off, NZTA found that Tali was carrying out WOF inspections without authority from June 7 to July 8, 2022.

He was following the instructions of Scoria, his employer, and was using Scoria’s vehicle-inspector authority to issue warrants.

The investigation established that 121 WOF inspections were registered and 86 WOF labels were issued without a proper safety inspection by an authorised vehicle inspector.

To arrive at the sentence, Judge Singh acknowledged the seriousness and period of the offending, that the vehicles might have been unsafe, and the issues of integrity and premeditation.

Nicole Botherway, the NZTA’s senior manager of safer vehicles, says: “We welcome the sentencing of these individuals and hope it serves as a deterrent to others. 

“We don’t tolerate misconduct by appointed vehicle inspectors and inspecting organisations, and will take action whenever our investigations find unlawful behaviour. The actions of these individuals put road-users at risk. 

“These vehicles had not been checked by an inspector vetted by the NZTA to ensure they had the necessary technical skills to understand and meet safety standards. 

“WOF inspections check brakes, tyres and wheels, steering, suspension, exhausts, seatbelts, lighting and structure to ensure vehicles are safe and protect people both inside and outside.”

The NZTA has cancelled all WOFs issued under Acarapi’s name during the period in question and has informed vehicle owners they need to get new ones.