Wife of accused cop-killer ‘present’ for shooting
Allanah Sciberras, Rachael Ward and Callum Godde |
The wife of Australia’s most-wanted man was present when he allegedly shot and killed two officers, police have revealed as their search effort grows.
Dezi Freeman has been on the run since a deadly confrontation at Porepunkah, about 300km northeast of Melbourne, on August 26.
The 56-year-old is accused of gunning down Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 35, and Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, who will be laid to rest on Friday and Monday respectively.
Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said a brief of evidence was being compiled to potentially prosecute the fugitive’s wife, Amalia Freeman, for obstructing police at the time of the shooting.
“I can confirm that she was present on the morning of the incident,” he told reporters on Thursday.
Ms Freeman and a 15-year-old were arrested during a raid at a Porepunkah home on August 29.
The 42-year-old has been interviewed and police are in touch with her solicitor in an attempt to garner a statement.
“She’s got other matters on today and we hope to progress our engagement with her going forward,” Det Supt Kelly said.
Chief Commissioner Mike Bush revealed more than 100 properties in the Alpine area had been scoured by police, who turned their search to bushland near Ovens River on Wednesday.
Footage showed armed police with dogs searching through a shipping container and a shed, as well as using a drone.
The Australian military has been called in to help, providing a planning specialist and air surveillance assets at the request of Victoria Police.
“Everyone is leaning into this search because we must resolve it as soon as possible,” Mr Bush said.
The state’s top cop defended the inability of police to find the fugitive after nine days, pointing to the challenging nature of the high-country search.
Police maintain people are likely harbouring Freeman and have appealed to his associates to give him up.
“He does not deserve to be protected,” Mr Bush said.
“This person needs to be in custody because of what’s occurred. They need to be held accountable.”
Businesses in the popular tourist region have been grappling with the impact of the massive hunt, with residents and tourists told to limit movements through the area.
Local operators report a 60 per cent loss of income since the search started on August 26, according to Bright and District Chamber of Commerce president and Pepo Farms chief executive Marcus Warner.
Local restaurants and accommodation operators have told him of mass cancellations and being forced to cut casual shifts, with one business $10,000 out of pocket.
“It was a pretty painful weekend,” Mr Warner told AAP.
“If the search continues into the next week and beyond they will have some immediate cash-flow issues.”
His pumpkin seed and oil business kept its doors open through the pandemic and bushfires but shut early over the weekend because it had no customers, despite being 10km away from the search area.
Bad weather brought the heaviest snowfall of the season to nearby snowfields but locals aren’t expecting to reap the rewards.
Marty Robinson, who runs Marty’s Porepunkah Garage, said most of his bookings were cancelled last week and it was just as quiet this week.
“Financially the locals are feeling the scars,” he said.
There are small signs of recovery, with Porepunkah Primary School almost back to business as usual, the local pub operating at night and Porepunkah Pines Holiday Park reopening on Tuesday.
AAP
