AFP apologises over Seven raid error

The Australian Federal Police has apologised for wrongly accusing a Seven Network lawyer of a crime, while it was seeking justification for raids.

The Seven Network office in Pyrmont, Sydney

(AAP)

The Australian Federal Police has been forced to apologise in connection with raids on Seven Network offices.

The AFP raided Channel Seven's inner-Sydney offices this week as part of a proceeds-of-crime investigation.

There was speculation the network had opened its chequebook for a tell-all broadcast interview with convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby, who is on parole in Bali.

The AFP accused Seven solicitor Justine Munsie of a crime in documents to the Federal Court to get orders signed to justify the raids.

On Friday, the AFP apologised for that accusation, saying it was "an innocent word-processing error".

"The AFP regrets any hurt, embarrassment or offence which this error has caused," it said in a statement.

"This regrettable error does not invalidate the search warrants, or the order itself."

Attorney-General George Brandis described the incident as a matter for the AFP.

"However, I am concerned about how this appears to have been handled," Mr Brandis said in a statement.

"I will be seeking to establish how this error was apparently made by the AFP."


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Source: AAP

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