BC Rail trial cost more than $18M

B.C. Attorney General Mike de Jong says the cost of the BC Rail corruptioncase is $18 million.

The amount includes the $6 million paid to former government aides Dave Basi and Bobby Virk, who both pleaded guilty to corruption charges, De Jong said Friday.

He said the $18 million does not include RCMP investigation costs, which have not been made public.

The $18 million covers the costs of Crown counsel, defence, the court and document handling.

Basi and Virk, former Liberal operatives, pleaded guilty this week to charges of breach of trust and accepting a benefit in connection with the 2003 deal to privatize the former Crown-owned BC Rail.

The two men were sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest, while Basi was also fined $75,000.