ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold will temporarily step down from the role, as an inquiry into the handling of a case against former Liberal staff Bruce Lehrmann continues.
The ACT government executive has appointed Anthony Williamson, who was the deputy DPP, to act in the role of the territory’s top prosecutor until June 13.
An ACT government spokeswoman later said Mr Drumgold had asked to take leave.
ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury told ABC Radio Mr Drumgold would be on leave for four weeks and expected him to return in mid-June.
“In terms of the overall office of the director of public prosecutions, it’s business as usual,” he said.
Mr Drumgold has come under pressure following questioning at the independent inquiry into how the ACT justice system handled rape allegations made against Mr Lehrmann by another ex-Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.
Mr Drumgold last week told the inquiry his team had “closed ranks” against police because they believed officers had lost objectivity in the matter.
He has served as DPP since January 2019 and worked at the DPP since 2002.
The charges against Mr Lehrmann, who had denied the allegations, were dropped last year.
-AAP
