KEY POINTS:
Deputy Police Commissioner Rob Pope is the focus of police inquiries over allegations he swore a misleading affidavit in the Sounds murders case.
Pressure is continuing to mount on Pope, who headed the investigation into the deaths 10 years ago of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope in the
Marlborough Sounds.
Convicted murderer Scott Watson's father Chris and Act leader Rodney Hide are demanding answers about the investigation - and what appears to have unfolded since.
Until now, the understanding was that the allegations against Pope were the subject only of a Police Complaints Authority investigation. But the Herald on Sunday can confirm police are carrying out separate inquiries.
The police inquiries, handled by southern crimes manager Ross Pinkham, follows a complaint lodged under section 108 of the Crimes Act with Blenheim police four years ago by Chris Watson. He has since written to police to voice his concerns that the inquiries are being conducted by "one of Pope's subordinates" rather than an officer of the same or higher rank.
Police Minister Annette King has been drawn into the controversy, with Hide submitting a written question to Parliament asking if she knew Pope was the subject of a "criminal investigation" when he was appointed deputy commissioner in 2006.
Last week police national headquarters denied they were carrying out any such investigation, but statements from the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) and two letters from police - including one from Assistant Commissioner Gavin Jones a fortnight ago - confirm there are other inquiries.
In a letter to Chris Watson dated March 11, Jones confirms that Pinkham is "conducting inquiries into one specific area of the investigation - that is the affidavit sworn by Mr Pope and related issues".
A spokesman for King said yesterday that Pope was appointed after a "robust and thorough" process undertaken by State Services Commissioner Dr Mark Prebble on behalf of the Government.
Asked if the minister knew of the internal inquiries when Pope was appointed, the spokesman said he could say no more.
Police Complaints Authority spokesman Alan Galbraith said Pinkham had no involvement with the PCA and the authority was eagerly awaiting his findings because they were sure to help their own inquiries.
In fact, it was the PCA that advised Watson to lay the police complaint in the first place.
When Watson approached them in 2003, the PCA said his complaint would be best referred to police because the authority had "no role in the investigation and prosecution of crime".
Pope is accused of providing misleading information to obtain a series of interception warrants in 1998 to bug Scott Watson's yacht, home and telephones.
In sworn affidavits he told the High Court at Wellington that police believed Watson had murdered Hope and Smart for a variety of reasons.
In one affidavit, dated February 18, 1998, Pope claimed Watson matched descriptions given by Guy Wallace and Hayden Morresey of the "mystery man" seen with them on a watertaxi in the Marlborough Sounds. Both Wallace and Morresey deny this.
In an interview with police on January 4, 1998, Wallace stated the man with Hope and Smart that day had wavy brown hair, two days' facial growth and was wearing a green shirt.
Morresey said the so-called mystery man had straggly shoulder-length hair which needed a cut.
An affidavit filed by Pope on July 28, 1998, to oppose bail for Watson said police had a photo from that day showing Watson was unshaven and had scruffy hair.
No such photo-graph was produced, but another photo taken (and pro-duced) showed Watson freshly shaven with short and tidy hair.
Police would not put Pope for-ward for an interview and Pinkham did not respond to Herald on Sunday requests to discuss the police inquiries.
Pope has previously refused requests from the Herald on Sunday to be interviewed.
The newspaper has been pushing for a retrial for Scott Watson.
A spokesperson at Police National Headquarters would not comment on whether it was usual for a complaint of this nature to take four years to look into.
Chris Watson said he was astonished it had taken so long for "this supposed investigation" to be carried out. The allegations were extremely serious, he said, and if proven could result in a term of imprisonment.
"They won't even tell me where the inquiry is at," said Watson.
"All I know is that there is an investigation happening."
"This could be extremely embarrassing for the minister. She either knew nothing or knew Pope was the subject of this complaint and said 'stuff you peasants' and appointed him."
King's spokesman said questions should be referred to Prebble. Attempts to contact him last night were not suc-cessful.
