Probe into Walter Sofronoff corruption allegations following his inquiry

The ACT Integrity Commission says it is assessing corruption allegations relating to the conduct of Walter Sofronoff KC while chairing a probe into Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial.

Walter Sofronoff KC. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The ACT Integrity Commission says it is assessing corruption allegations relating to the conduct of Walter Sofronoff KC while chairing a probe into Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial.

In a statement, the commission confirmed the assessments would relate to “disclosures made by the Hon Walter Sofronoff KC to media representatives during the course of the Board of Inquiry, the release of his report to media representatives before the report was released by the Chief Minister and communications with media that were disclosed in recent litigation in the Supreme Court of the ACT”.

Last month, a judge found Mr Sofronoff’s conduct while chairing the inquiry into the ­behaviour of former ACT chief prosecutor Shane Drumgold ­during Mr Lehrmann’s criminal prosecution gave rise to “a reasonable apprehension of bias”.

He found Mr Sofronoff may have been “influenced” by the views of The Australian columnist Janet Albrechtsen while conducting the inquiry that ended Mr Drumgold’s career.

It was a rare occurrence for the ACT Integrity Commission to “confirm it has received and is ­assessing corruption allegations regarding the conduct of the Hon Walter Sofronoff KC”.

While the ACT Integrity Commission, as a general policy, doesn’t confirm or deny the referral or investigation of corruption allegations, Integrity Commissioner Michael Adams KC said he chose to make the disclosure “in the public interest”.

Brittany Higgins, left, Walter Sofronoff, Shane Drumgold and Bruce Lehrmann.

“Given the extraordinary and ongoing public discourse about the conduct of the Board of ­Inquiry and the recent judgment in the Supreme Court in Drumgold v Board of Inquiry and Ors (No. 3), I have determined that it is in the public interest to disclose that the Commission is assessing whether the issues call for investigation,” Mr Adams said. “I see no reputational damage arising from making this ­announcement, noting that it ­involves no adverse findings of any kind.”

The commission added that the issues “are especially important, their subject matter has ­already been widely publicised and the need for the Integrity Commission to assess and, if necessary, investigate them is ­apparent”.

Acting Integrity Commissioner John McMillan has been appointed “to assess aspects of his matter”.

Mr Drumgold launched legal action in the ACT Supreme Court against the ACT government and Mr Sofronoff’s inquiry last year, challenging findings in the inquiry’s final report that he was in breach of his duties while prosecuting allegations Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins on a couch in Parliament House.

Despite finding Mr Sofronoff’s conduct displayed the “reasonable apprehension of bias”, Acting Justice Stephen Kaye last month noted the majority of Mr Sofronoff’s findings of misconduct against Mr Drumgold, which the former DPP claimed were “legally unreasonable”, were upheld.