Shane de Kauwe tells corruption inquiry he was instructed by Toplace laywer Sharangan Maheswaran to investigate minister David Elliott.
A private investigator says he was asked to surveil a Liberal minister and provided secret recording devices to a fugitive property developer, the New South Wales anti-corruption watchdog has heard.
Shane de Kauwe told the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Tuesday he had installed a static camera on a building to record a person connected with the former NSW Liberal MP David Elliott.
Icac is investigating the allegation that Liberal figures Christian Ellis, Jeremy Greenwood and Charles Perrottet took $2m in illegal donations from fugitive property developer Jean Nassif or his company Toplace in exchange for political outcomes.
In an explosive appearance from his Beirut bedroom, Nassif said he was “not corrupt”.
The alleged outcomes include damage to the political career of Elliott and the removal of the former building commissioner, David Chandler, who was scrutinising defects in Toplace apartments.
On Tuesday, De Kauwe said he took instructions to surveil Elliott from Toplace laywer and executive, Sharangan Maheswaran, who he understood to be negatively disposed to the MP.
In an appearance at the commission, Elliott, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, described de Kauwe as the “Maxwell Smart of the NSW private investigator industry”.
De Kauwe said that he used a ladder to install a static camera in 2022 on an apartment building opposite a car park with a view to capturing the woman’s car, invoicing Toplace $15,000.
On Tuesday morning, De Kauwe said he had provided covert recording devices to Maheswaran, Nassif and Greenwood.