14 April 2011

Rape and stalking claims engulf academy


The female cadet who went public over a sex scandal at defence's elite officer college has prompted others to come forward with allegations of predatory behaviour and cover-ups of rape and misconduct.

The 18-year-old says she was filmed by webcams while having sex with another student at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra.

Six other students were watching on in an adjacent room.

On Thursday, new claims of rape and sexual misconduct at the college came to light.

A former divisional officer who worked at the academy in 2006 says he quickly left because of the culture of covering up misbehaviour and misconduct.

"I had a cadet in my actual division who was actually stalking and harassing another first-year female," Mark told AAP on Thursday.

"He blatantly lied to me and my divisional sergeant.

"I asked for action to be taken against him in the way of formal charges; they wouldn't do it."

A woman in Brisbane said her niece was raped while training at the academy.

"She was told by her commanding officer to suck it up," the woman told ABC radio in Brisbane on Thursday.

"The defence force did absolutely nothing."

Defence Minister Stephen Smith and defence have not yet responded to the new claims of rape and predatory behaviour at ADFA.

But the man in charge of the college, Commandant Bruce Kafer, has come under fire for the handling of the video scandal.

Mr Smith has been scathing of the treatment the female cadet endured after going public, but the minister has so far reserved judgment on the future of Commodore Kafer.

"I want to come to a concluded view about the issues that I've raised, before I'm drawn on that particular point," Mr Smith told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.

Commodore Kafer had acknowledged an error of judgment by allowing an unrelated disciplinary hearing involving the woman to run parallel with the sex investigation, Mr Smith said.

"The regrettable fact is we have now a criminal investigation into very serious matters, that should have been the issue and no more," the minister said.

"Because of the way in which this matter has been handled we now have very significant public issues so far as defence's handling and conduct of this matter."

Defence chief Angus Houston described the incident as abhorrent, but was reluctant to comment further.

"I find the circumstances absolutely abhorrent but I am not going to say any more than that because I don't want to prejudice the very important AFP investigation," he told reporters.

Late Thursday, Liberal backbencher Nick Minchin issued a statement in support of Commodore Kafer.

"He is a professional officer doing a tough job," Senator Minchin said.

Federal police commissioner Tony Negus said the investigation into the initial incident was continuing despite confusion over whether a crime had even been committed.

Mr Negus said the original information provided by defence was very bare.

"That advice that was provided by defence didn't really fully comprehend the magnitude of what we now know to be the case," he told reporters in Canberra.

Mr Negus said until all witnesses had been interviewed and all evidence examined, it could not be determined what offences may or may not have been committed.

"So it's very much premature to say no offences have been committed," he said.

"That is being examined as we speak with the Director of Public Prosecutions and our legal staff."

Mr Negus said whether an offence had been committed would depend on a range of circumstances, such as whether the imagery was transmitted across a telecommunications device.

"Until we speak to all of the people concerned, I am not prepared to say whether there is or is not an offence being committed under ACT legislation," he said.

ninemsn.com.au 7 Apr 2011


Here we have another government cover up where irrespective of ANY inquiry made there will be judgment that there were NO CRIMES committed.

This is the way of the Anglo - Masonic Legal System, where you cannot win against the system.

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