A South Australian magistrate has been charged with deception offences after an investigation by the state's Independent Commissioner Against Corruption.
Bob Harrap has been charged with two counts of deception, one count of conspiring to commit an abuse of public office and one count of conspiring or attempting to pervert the course of justice.
It will be alleged that in May, Magistrate Harrap misrepresented who was driving his government-issued car at the time it was observed committing traffic offences and thereby engaged in deception in order to obtain a benefit for himself.
It will be separately alleged that he conspired with another person to pervert the cause of justice and conspired to abuse his public office in relation to a matter that was to be heard by him.
Commissioner Bruce Lander said his investigation was ongoing and he expected other charges to be laid and other people to be charged.
Mr Lander said he had taken the unusual step of naming Mr Harrap because "not naming the judicial officer would harm the confidence the community necessarily places in the judicial system".
Mr Harrap has been bailed to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court on 6 July.
Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal said Mr Harrap would not sit or conduct any court business until the matters against him had been finalised.
"Accordingly, I have directed that Magistrate Harrap take leave until the charges against him have been determined according to law," Judge Hribal said in a statement.
She said it was also not appropriate for any other magistrate to hear the matter so she had asked for a judge of the District Court to preside over his case.
