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Inquiry head to be investigated for alleged corruption
Walter Sofronoff, who headed up an inquiry into Bruce Lehrmann’s criminal trial, will be investigated over allegations of corruption.
Naomi Neilson
The ACT Integrity Commission commenced an investigation into Sofronoff’s alleged breaches of the Inquiries Act 1991 and the Integrity Commission Act 2018 for sharing a report with journalists.
“The commissioner has completed his assessment of these allegations and has decided to commence an investigation into the impugned conduct as he suspects, on reasonable grounds, that Sofronoff’s conduct may constitute corrupt conduct.
“As the investigation is going, the commission will not be making any further public comments at this time,” the statement said.
Sofronoff, the former president of the Queensland Court of Appeal and former president of the state’s Bar Association, was tasked with leading an inquiry into Lehrmann’s abandoned criminal trial.
The inquiry’s final report made “several serious findings of misconduct” against former ACT director of public prosecutions Shane Drumgold, who shortly resigned, for his alleged conduct during the proceedings.
The watchdog’s investigation will focus on allegations that Sofronoff shared the report with two journalists before it was made public.
Sofronoff was also the subject of a Supreme Court hearing, which found he “might have been influenced by the views held and publicly expressed” by a journalist with The Australian.
The court was told the two had 137 interactions while Sofronoff headed up the inquiry, including exchanging text messages before and during Drumgold’s time in the witness box.
In one example, after the inquiry was told that Drumgold directed a junior lawyer to create a false affidavit, Sofronoff texted the journalist: “What a thing to do to young professionals under your mentorship”.
More to come.
Naomi Neilson
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
You can email Naomi at:
