Chapter 14 argyle - State Law Publisher

FINAL REPORT
strategies attached to the return of the diamonds. This led to a series of lost opportunities,
particularly early in the investigation.
Police officers are frequently called upon to make strategic decisions and in this instance
there was no credible information to suggest that a large number of diamonds had gone
missing from the Argyle mine site. It would have been preferable if some definitive action or
investigative strategy had been implemented at this time. It cannot, however, be said that
Castlehow’s view that the diamonds should be returned was incapable of being justified.
This is an example, and there are many more in respect of this matter, of a management or
investigative decision that was poorly thought out and implemented by the Police Service,
even if genuinely made.
ALLOCATION OF THE ARGYLE INVESTIGATION
Gwilliam stated in evidence that, on 20 February 1990, while attached to the Reserve
Squad, he was approached by Thoy, requesting his assistance on a file relating to the
investigation of missing diamonds from the Argyle mine. Gwilliam said that he commenced
an active role in this investigation on 22 February 1990. At this time, Thoy was the officer in
charge of the Reserve Squad and his superior officers were Inspector Colin Trewin and
Superintendent Bruce Dalton.
During the initial stages of his involvement with this investigation, Gwilliam said that, in
company with Thoy, he attended at least two briefings with Dalton. The first briefing was
before the execution of a search warrant at Roddan’s home address on 26 February 1990.
Dalton questioned Thoy as to how he had come to receive the Argyle investigation without
its going through the chain of command, and said he did not want to have two detective
sergeants tied up on what he said was likely to be a long, protracted investigation. Gwilliam
said that, notwithstanding this comment by Dalton, he had no other file to work on and he
was not given any other files.
Thoy said in evidence that, in his normal briefings with Trewin, which would occur probably
once or twice a week, he mentioned that he had the Argyle investigation. He was unsure
how this topic arose, but stated that Trewin asked him how he got the investigation and
Thoy told him that it had come through BCI. Trewin asked Thoy why the file had not come
through the normal channels. Thoy said something to the effect, “[w]ell, they advised me
that you knew about it” and Trewin replied to the effect “[w]ell I didn’t”. Thoy stated that
this conversation was in the very early stages and perhaps days after he had received the
investigation file. Thoy stated that, at this point, he had done little work on this
investigation and perhaps he had only seen Corfield a couple of times. When asked if
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