A former City of Perth councillor and his sister have been charged with giving false testimonies during an investigation into operations and affairs at the city.
Keith Yong and his sister Angie Wong briefly appeared in court today on charges of giving false evidence in 2019 as part of an inquiry panel's probe into allegations of voter manipulation.
The WA government appointed an inquiry panel in 2018 to investigate and report on "aspects, operations and affairs of the City of Perth," including the council and the administration, between October 1, 2015, and March 1, 2018.
The panel was also given the powers of a royal commission.
It's alleged Mr Yong gave evidence to the panel on August 6 in 2019 and provided a false testimony about the communication between him and a returning officer of a previous City of Perth election.
The 43-year-old was elected to the council in 2013, before being voted out in the 2017 elections.
Sister's alleged false testimony linked to council election
Ms Wong has been accused of giving a false testimony in relation to a corporate lease, which enabled nominated people to be 'corporate voters' in a City of Perth election.
Police say Ms Wong gave evidence to the panel on March 6, 2019 in which she referred to a lease agreement.
It's alleged that after providing her testimony, the 46-year-old went home and created a false lease document and backdated it by several years, before providing it to the panel the next day.
The pair have both been charged with giving a false testimony to a royal commission.
In the Perth Magistrates Court today, neither of them were required to plead to the charges and both were released on bail until their next court appearance in May.
The police prosecutor flagged there would be an application for the case to be sent to the District Court where it would be determined by a judge and jury.
