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Magistrate arrested and charged with multiple offences
The Independent Commissioner Against Corruption in South Australia has arrested and charged a magistrate over alleged offences involving a government-issued vehicle.
Jerome Doraisamy
In a statement, the Honourable Bruce Lander QC, Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) in South Australia, said that earlier on Monday his investigators had executed five search warrants and arrested Magistrate Robert Harrap.
“It will be alleged that, on two occasions between 19 May 2020 and 22 May 2020, Magistrate Harrap misrepresented who was driving his [government-issued] vehicle at the time it was observed committing traffic offences and thereby engaged in deception in order to obtain a benefit for himself,” the statement outlined.
“It will also be separately alleged that, between 10 May 2020 and 29 May 2020, Magistrate Harrap conspired with another person to pervert the course of justice and conspired to abuse his public office in relation to a matter that was to be heard by him.”
In issuing his statement, Mr Lander noted that he had regard to the “special circumstances of the matter”, and had deduced it was “appropriate” to name Magistrate Harrap as an individual arrested and charged as a result of an investigation by ICAC.
“This is a departure from my usual practice of not naming individuals who have been charged until they have appeared in court for the first time,” he explained.
“In forming this view, I have had regard to the matters listed in section 25 of the ICAC Act. In particular, I thought not naming the judicial officer would harm the confidence the community necessarily places in the judicial system.”
The investigation is ongoing, Mr Lander said, and “it is anticipated that other charges may be laid and other persons may be charged”.
Magistrate Harrap has been bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court at 10am on 6 July 2020.
No other judicial officers have been subject to investigation, ICAC concluded, and as the matter is now before the court, Mr Lander said he would not be commenting further.
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. In June 2024, he also assumed the editorship of HR Leader. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
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