More gaol for Empire Systems director

In Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court, Roussi pleaded guilty to being involved in the management of Empire between 9 June 1994 and 1 April 1998, when he was a bankrupt.

Michael Roussi, a former officer of failed computer retailer Empire Systems Pty Ltd , has been sentenced to ten months gaol for being involved with the management of Empire Systems while automatically disqualified from doing so on the grounds of bankruptcy.

Magistrate Emmett ordered Roussi to serve seven and a half months via weekend detention of a ten month sentence.

He will begin his sentence on 12 September 2004, following the completion of the two-year term of periodic detention he was sentenced to on 6 September this year after being convicted on two charges of having improperly used his position as an officer of Empire Systems to gain an advantage of $990,923 for his wife.

This followed a two-week trial in June 2002 before Judge Blackmore, where the jury heard details of Roussi's involvement with Empire Systems, a computer retail operation that went into liquidation in 1998 owing around $3.5 million to 1500 creditors - mainly customers.

The charges against Roussi were laid after an investigation by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.