Open LDAP Login Object for Laravel 5.1

OpenLDAPAuth.php

<?php
namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use Illuminate\Http\Request;

use App\Http\Requests;
use App\Http\Controllers\Controller;
// Simple Open LDAP Object for Auth

class OpenLDAPAuth {

 public function authenticate($username, $password)
 {
   if(empty($username) or empty($password)){
     return false;
   }

  $ldapRdn = $this->getLdapRdn($username);

  $ldapconn=ldap_connect(Config::get('app.open_ldap_server');) or die("Could not connect to LDAP server.");
  ldap_set_option($ldapconn, LDAP_OPT_PROTOCOL_VERSION, 3); 
  $result = false;

   if ($ldapconn)
   {
    try{
       // bind the connection
       $bind = @ldap_bind($ldapconn, $ldapRdn, $password);

       if($bind){
          // valid credentials
          ldap_unbind($ldapconn);
          return true;
       }
       else{
          // invalid credentials
          ldap_unbind($ldapconn);
          return false;
       }

    }
    //If username/password are not correct, dont login
    catch(Exception $e){
       return false;
    }

   }
   else {
     Log::error('Error connecting to LDAP.');
   }
   ldap_unbind($ldapconn);

   }

   private function getLdapRdn($username)
   {
     return "cn={$username},dc=openldap,dc=local";
   }

}
?>