00:00 Fearful and controlled. That's how Jennifer Riches felt after only one year of marriage
00:07 to the Territory's sole corruption watchdog.
00:10 There were anger outbursts and things were becoming harder and harder to navigate
00:16 and I just started to become really afraid of him.
00:19 The NT's independent commissioner against corruption, Michael Riches,
00:23 alleged by his estranged wife to have controlled and manipulated her
00:28 to the point where she had to flee her home.
00:30 You know the intellectual kind of mind games and silent treatment
00:34 and just because it's not physical doesn't mean that there's not severe
00:38 psychological consequences to this stuff.
00:41 In May last year, Ms Riches took action, filing a domestic violence order against her partner
00:47 and seeking a financial settlement to begin a new life in Sydney.
00:51 I think it was very tricky and it didn't sit well with me
00:54 but I felt like I was kind of trapped. There's no either that or I'm stuffed.
01:02 In legal correspondence, Mr Riches' lawyers said the domestic violence order
01:06 would force him to retire from his role as the ICAC, instead agreeing to a written undertaking
01:12 which would see him restrained from approaching, contacting or remaining in the company of Ms Riches
01:18 and would keep the matter out of the courts.
01:21 In the same email, the lawyers rejected a $30,000 cash payment to Ms Riches
01:26 for urgent spousal maintenance, instead proposing a total of $20,000
01:31 and the continuation of loan repayments as a partial property settlement,
01:36 noting the offer is contingent upon Mr Riches remaining in his employment as ICAC.
01:42 Two days later, the DVO was withdrawn, Ms Riches' lawyers telling her
01:47 it is not in your best interests for your husband to no longer work in his high-paying job.
01:53 Mr Riches is now on personal leave from his position.
01:56 The government refuses to say for how long, but said the ICAC's own watchdog,
02:01 the ICAC Inspector, would investigate allegations of wrongdoing.
02:05 Mr Riches has been contacted for comment.
02:08 [BLANK_AUDIO]
Comments