Pubdate: Tue, 08 Aug 2000
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Copyright: 2000 West Australian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  +61 8 94823830
Website: http://thewest.com.au/redirect.shtml
Author: Torrance Mendez

POLICE ALLOWED DRUG RUN TO GO ON: KIZON

NORTHBRIDGE businessman John Kizon claimed police were so keen to catch him 
that they allowed protected witness Andrew Petrelis to run drugs between 
Perth and Sydney.

Mr Kizon hit back hours before the ABC was due to air a Four Corners 
program naming him as the main target of the ill-fated inquiry Operation 
Red Emperor which was axed in 1997.

The program, which follows reports by The West Australian said police 
believed he did not have an Australian bank account in 1997, and had 
claimed to earn just $15,000 in six years to 1993 but made investments 
worth $3 million.

Mr Kizon said he would show the ABC tax documents proving he paid $250,000 
settlement tax in 1988-1995.

His former nightclub earnings had been banked in the National Australia Bank.

"This is an orchestrated propaganda campaign to discredit my name so it 
stops me doing legal business in this State," he said.

Former police inspector Chris Cull and suspended Det-Sgt Peter Coombs told 
how Red Emperor had unearthed police corruption but nothing had been done 
about it.

Both officers were suspended by police and investigated by the 
Anti-Corruption Commission in 1997 - Mr Cull resigned after he was 
reinstated but Sgt Coombs remains stood down.

Mr Kizon said it appeared that police officers who had been caught up in 
Anti-Corruption Commission inquiries were using him as a scapegoat.

They seemed to be saying that wrongdoing could be excused so long as John 
Kizon was caught but it had to be remembered that he was not involved in 
their ACC troubles, he said.

Mr Kizon said he had information indicating that dead protected witness 
Andrew Petrelis had run amphetamines and cannabis to the eastern states 
with police knowledge.

Mr Petrelis died in suspicious circumstances in 1995, one month before he 
was due to give evidence against former butcher Michael Rippingale in a 
drug conspiracy case with Mr Kizon

"He was allowed to do anything he wanted to do," Mr Kizon said, claiming 
that Mr Petrelis had agreed to help police in order to free his girlfriend 
from drug charges.

Mr Kizon said Len Roberts-Smith QC had never interviewed him for the recent 
inquiry into the witness protection program and the report on the inquiry 
was a whitewash.

Mr Roberts-Smith said Mr Kizon's position on the death of Mr Petrelis was 
well known. He did not feel he could add anything to the terms of reference 
which centred on witness protection.

Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Terry O'Connor QC said planned to 
publicise reports of ACC investigations on police within the next few 
weeks, naming officers.

The reports would be tabled in both Houses of State Parliament so that the 
public could be informed of the work of the ACC. He denied the ploy 
amounted to naming and shaming.

Earlier in the day Police Commissioner Barry Matthews said he had 
reservations about officers who were named. But he did not rule out that 
charges could be laid against former sergeant Murray Shadgett who got 
details about Mr Petrelis"new identity on the police computer in 1995. Mr 
Shadgett recently left the police service on health grounds.

And the State Opposition said the latest developments intensified calls for 
a royal commission in WA Police.

Police Minister Kevin Prince is expected to table Mr Roberts-Smith's report 
on witness protection in State Parliament tomorrow.

Former WA police commissioner Bob Falconer last night defended his decision 
to disband Operation Red Emperor.

Mr Falconer said the decision to close the unit had been backed by Mr Matthews.

"I reject any notion that there was something sinister about the closing 
down of Red Emperor," Mr Falconer said."If I can use a fish quote, that's a 
red herring."
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