20th September 2018
Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?
The Herald Suns and the Age today (20th Sept’18) published stories that there is a proposal to furnish State MPs allegedly involved in the Red Shirts theft by deception with a questionnaire over their involvement in the scam.
Lawyers were quick to label this proposal as highly unusual, they are very kind, ridiculous would be our take and no competent Law Enforcement Agency would even consider the idea, suggesting that this may not have come from the Investigators but somebody causing mischief.
If this was a serious consideration, and we do not believe it could be, there are number of factors that need to be explained for those who think it could be reasonable.
- Would the questionnaire be inadmissible as evidence?
- Most importantly, rule number one for any prosecution is proof of identity and a questionnaire cannot determine that.
- For the benefit of the suspect (the MP), who administers and is satisfied that a caution is understood?
- How do any answers given get tested?
- And how is a jurat administered?
No, this cannot possibly be a proposal from a competent investigation team; this is wishful thinking by somebody.
Our advice to the MP’s involved – make sure you are up early each morning as a knock on the door is coming.