|
|
Allegations
of Abuse in Institutions |
|
|
|
|
The family of army
cadet Grant Bain, shot dead in 1981, remain sceptical about a new
investigation by police into his death. In a statement last
night acting Police Commissioner Steve Long said he was concerned with
allegations implying police may have treated the incident differently from
other homicide investigations, and the matter was to be referred to the
Police Complaints Authority today. Speaking on National
Radio this morning, Murray Bain - brother of the dead cadet - said though the
family was happy with any progress, they remained sceptical about it. Defence Minister Mark Burton
says the investigation can only consider the actions of Defence personnel up
to half an hour after the fatal shooting. At that point the case was handed
over to police. But Mr Bain said it was
clear the Army's involvement went well past 30 minutes after the shooting. He added: "We've
been lied to for 23 years by the bureaucrats before, so we're a little bit
sceptical "If they come out
and say look we have made a mistake and there is a police file on Grant we'll
be over the moon, absolutely rapt. "If they come out
and say there is no file, then we'll always wonder." He said all the family
wanted was the truth of the matter to come out. Mr Bain said the family
had records had going back to 1981 when his father had campaigned for an
investigation. The family wanted to
find out the truth, "to find out what happened to Grant". He said he had picked
up the matter three years ago, and it was obvious then that the family was
still being lied to by the army. The family had been
told that people had seen pictures of Grant lying on the floor of the
barracks in a pool of blood and that the army was using this as a training
aid. "Now we were
always told that Grant died in hospital and that led to the question, why
would you be taking pictures of Grant there on the floor of the barracks,
wouldn't you be in there trying to help him if he's still alive?" Mr Bain said the family
trusted the Police Complaints Authority to carry out a proper investigation. |
