Updated: Seven CEO accuses police of ‘overkill’ after Schapelle raids
The Australian Federal Police have refuted claims from Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner raids on their offices today were “overkill” and say they come after talking to the media company over the issue of Schapelle Corby’s paid interview for a week.
Worner has released a statement this afternoon saying the group had been co-operating with the police and had “instructed our lawyers to provide any additional information”, but said their lawyer’s offices had also been raided today.
Police say they were searching for documents relating to alleged payments made to Schapelle corby who was released from prison in Bali last week after nine years, and who is thought to have sold her story to Seven’s Sunday Night show.
Worner said in a statement: “We want to emphasize that at all times we have fully co-operated with the AFP in this matter. A raid on our offices at Pyrmont and at Pacific Magazines and at our lawyers’ offices involving around 30 police and eight squad cars to find information we have already provided seems like overkill to say the least. But what is most disturbing is to also seek to use search warrants to access all of our news and corporate records. This is without justification and quite possibly unprecedented for a media organization.
Does anyone think Channel Nine has anything to do with all of this?
Cant wait for the mini series.. “Underbelly- The Fabric samples”
Despite the AFP claiming it “acted appropriately”, this is an highly unusual and potential political action.
It beggars belief that the Attorney General was not informed of this and that the appropriate action was to simply get a magistrate to approve it.
The lack of transparency in not giving a reason for this offensive raid, or an accountable line of authority in its approval, has all the hallmarks of a “police state” forming under this new Government.
Disappointing that channel seven spell emphasise with a “z”. Says a lot about their standards!