Adem Somyurek blasts ‘out of control’ IBAC after claims witness was forced to lie, left suicidal

A woman claims she suffered panic attacks and suicidal thoughts throughout her IBAC examination, sparking fears the anti-corruption watchdog is “out of control”.

Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog has been accused of forcing a witness to lie under oath, leaving her suicidal.

In a damning attack on the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission in parliament on Wednesday former government minister Adem Somyurek said the body was out of control.

Mr Somyurek, who is at the centre of IBAC’s Operation Watts probing branch stacking within the ALP, accused the commission of being out to get him.

The woman, who the Herald Sun chose not to name, told the Integrity and Oversight Committee (IOC) the IBAC failed to take seriously her mental health disclosure.

Adem Somyurek says IBAC is ‘out of control’. Picture: Ian Currie

“My experience with IBAC particularly in my examination and leading to the end of this process has been horrific and traumatic,” she said.

“I suffer from chronic mental health problems. Because of the way I was treated by IBAC during its investigations I made two suicide attempts.”

The woman, who was assisted by a support worker provided by the IBAC, claimed she endured “several panic attacks and suicidal thoughts throughout the examination”.

She said IBAC investigators seized on her while she was having panic attacks to force her to agree with statements she otherwise believed to be false.

“I was manipulated to say statements that were not correct, or misinterpreted, which is made clear in my transcripts,” she said.

Mr Somyurek today lashed the IBAC, and questioned whether it was corrupt, or incompetent.

“We’ve got an integrity body that’s completely out of control,” he said.

“It’s waterboarding witnesses that have mental health issues, that are suicidal. Why? Because they’re trying to get someone.

“This is outrageous behaviour. We’ve got a bunch of thugs who are running our integrity agencies at the moment.

“Is there corrupt arrangements in place? You can’t get a battleaxe to a young woman who is suicidal and make her lie under oath.”

The IOC audit of the anti-corruption agencies was launched followed the suicide of former Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon.

She was found dead a day after the IBAC finalised a report on an investigation into allegedly corrupt land deals involving developer John Woodman.

Ms Stapledon told the IBAC she had received a $25,000 ­donation from Mr Woodman to run for state parliament as a Liberal candidate in 2014.

A complaint to the IOC ­alleged she had expressed suicidal ideations as early as April last year following her public examination by IBAC.

An IBAC spokeswoman has told the Herald Sun it had processes in place to protect witnesses.

“Among a range of actions we take, IBAC undertakes a risk assessment which considers witness welfare for all witnesses and has practices in place to ensure their safety and wellbeing,” she said.

Daniel Andrews was questioned in secret as part of Operation Watts’ probe into claims of corruption within the ALP.

It found wrongdoing and the likely misuse of publicly funded staff across Labor’s factions.

Mr Somyurek has repeatedly questioned why the probe focused only on the Moderates faction he controlled and was not extended to other factions including the Premier’s Socialist Left.