Jacob Kovco
Encyclopedia
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
– 21 April 2006, Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
) was a Private (PTE)
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
who died while deployed in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, fatally wounded by a single shot to the head from his own Browning 9mm sidearm. PTE Kovco was the first Australian soldier to die while deployed to the Middle Eastern Area of Operations (MEAO). A military inquiry found that Kovco accidentally shot himself while mishandling his pistol, a conclusion which was disputed by his family. On 2 April 2008, a further Coronial inquest returned a similar verdict, finding that Kovco's death was "irresponsibly self-inflicted", and that when he pulled the trigger on his weapon he "disregarded the possible consequences of danger".
Pre Military
Pte Kovco grew up in Briagolong and completed the Victoria Certificate of Education at Maffra Secondary CollegeMaffra Secondary College
Maffra Secondary College is a Year 7 to Year 12 government secondary college situated in the Gippsland town of Maffra, Victoria. It has around 700 students enrolled from Year 7 to 12, and takes in students from Maffra and surrounding towns, including Boisdale, Newry, Stratford, Heyfield, Valencia...
in 1998. Prior to enlisting in the army, Kovco worked in a knackery processing dead livestock. He was a keen mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
rider and also raced motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s. He was married to Shelley and they had 2 children, Tyrie and Alana
Military career
Kovco enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in March 2002 and was posted to the School of Infantry, SingletonSingleton, New South Wales
-Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined....
, in May 2002. After completing his Initial Employment Training as a rifleman, he served in the 3rd Battalion
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
of the Royal Australian Regiment
Royal Australian Regiment
The Royal Australian Regiment is the parent regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps...
(3RAR), Australia's airborne battalion (the only other Royal Australian Infantry Corps Regiment cleared for airborne operations is the Second Commando Regiment, Formally the 4th Royal Australian Regiment). After posted to 3RAR, he was trained as a heavy weapons operator before training to become a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
.
PTE Kovco was deployed to Iraq as part of an ongoing 110-person Security Detachment Iraq
Security Detachment Iraq (Australia)
The Security Detachment Iraq was the final component of Australia's contribution to coalition operations in Iraq. SECDET was based on an Australian Army combined arms combat team consisting of an infantry company group and a troop of cavalry which operated the Australian Light Armoured vehicles...
protecting Australian officials at the embassy in Baghdad.
Death
PTE Kovco died from a single bullet wound to the head. The incident occurred in the accommodation barracks he shared with two other soldiers, shortly after he returned from an observation duty. Kovco was moved to a nearby US military hospital immediately after the incident but was announced dead on arrival.It was initially reported by Australian Defence Minister
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
Brendan Nelson
Brendan Nelson
Dr Brendan John Nelson is a former Australian politician and former federal Opposition leader. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from the 1996 federal election until 19 October 2009 as the Liberal member for Bradfield, a northern Sydney seat...
that PTE Kovco had shot himself accidentally while cleaning his weapon, a Browning Hi-Power
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
Mk. III pistol. This story was later changed to suggest the pistol discharged spontaneously. These explanations conflict with standard weapons handling procedures for ADF personnel on deployment, which require all weapons to be unloaded upon entering the perimeter of a fortified barracks such as PTE Kovco's. The possibility of the pistol discharging by itself was discredited by the former head of Australia's military, General Peter Cosgrove
Peter Cosgrove
General Peter John Cosgrove AC, MC is a retired Australian Army officer. He was the Chief of the Defence Force from 3 July 2002 to 3 July 2005, when he retired from active service...
, when asked on radio whether he had seen a pistol such as Private Kovco's self-discharge during his 40 years of military service, he replied, "Weapons tend not to self-detonate."
In the days after PTE Kovcos death Australian Defence Minister
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
Brendan Nelson
Brendan Nelson
Dr Brendan John Nelson is a former Australian politician and former federal Opposition leader. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from the 1996 federal election until 19 October 2009 as the Liberal member for Bradfield, a northern Sydney seat...
spoke widely to the media, making a variety of claims, including:
- "
[H] e might not have been actually handling the weapon but it was very close to him," "There was obviously a live round in it, which there should not have been," "He was doing something other than handling his firearm and in the process of fiddling about with the other equipment he had, it would appear that in some way he knocked the gun and it discharged," and "There is no suggestion it was anything other than an accident."
In a Media Release of 29 April, Defence Minister Dr. Brendan Nelson asked for speculation on the death to cease, stating "I think what's most important now is that Australians appreciate that speculation, much of which is wild and ill-informed, is as unhelpful to getting to the bottom of the death of PTE Kovco as it is hurtful to the family."
Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Angus Houston
Angus Houston
Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant "Angus" Houston AC, AFC is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force and was the Chief of the Defence Force from 4 July 2005 until his retirement on 3 July 2011...
made a statement that two other soldiers (PTE Kovcos roommates) were in the room with PTE Kovco but "it appeared that neither of them was looking at PTE Kovco when the weapon discharged. Essentially when they looked up he had clearly been shot," he said.
Suggestions of suicide were vehemently rejected by PTE Kovco's mother, who suggested that senior military officials knew what happened to her son but refused to tell the truth. Although the ADF refused to respond officially pending inquiries, a "senior military source" made a statement that PTE Kovco was "emailing when the gun fired", and that it appeared that the computer had slipped off his lap and landed on the pistol, causing it to discharge.
Repatriation
The body of PTE Kovco was originally scheduled to be returned to Australia on Wednesday, 26 April, but his body was apparently misplaced during attempts to repatriate it to Melbourne, and the body of 47 year old BosnianBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
civilian contractor Juso Sinanovic was sent to Australia in its place — a mistake Brendan Nelson has blamed on a mortuary attached to the Al-Sabah
Al-Sabah
The House of Al Sabah is the ruling family of Kuwait. They are a clan from the Anizah tribe which migrated to Kuwait in the early 18th century from Najd . They are also from the Utub tribe. After reaching Kuwait, they entered in an alliance with the other families of the Utub such as Al-Khalifa...
General Hospital in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and the private contractor Kenyon International. However, Kenyon International, a privately owned company, was exonerated for any wrong doing. According to the final report from the Military Board of Inquiry, Kenyon was contracted to repatriate the remains that were identified to Kenyon as PTE Kovco. At no stage was Kenyon International required to identify PTE Kovco. Warrant Officer Tim Cuming, Kovco's company sergeant major in Iraq, accompanied Kovco's body back to Australia. Warrant Officer Cuming has claimed privilege against self-incrimination during the coronial inquest into Kovco's fatal shooting, against allegations that he intimidated military witnesses prior to the military inquiry.
Sinanovic's death was investigated by Victorian coroner Graeme Johnstone, and his body was returned to Kuwait and the care of his former employers Kellogg, Brown and Root
Kellogg, Brown and Root
KBR, Inc. is an American engineering, construction and private military contracting company, formerly a subsidiary of Halliburton, headquartered in Houston. The company also has large offices in Arlington, Birmingham, Newark, Delaware and Leatherhead, UK. After Halliburton acquired Dresser...
on 11 May. During this time his family were not contacted by Australian authorities. Continued delays in repatriating Sinanovic's body to his home village just outside Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
led to the involvement on 17 May of John Howard, who undertook to "see if there is anything we can do".
Shadow Defence spokesman Robert McClelland
Robert McClelland (Australian politician)
Robert Bruce McClelland is the Attorney-General of Australia. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of theAustralian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Barton, New South Wales...
has said that it seems American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
personnel had transported Kovco's body via a US military mortuary and then on to the private mortuary, after it arrived in Kuwait on an Australian C130 Hercules. "There was some identification before the body was treated in the morgue but none when it came out, certainly contrary to what would be standard coronial procedures," he said.
Military Board of Inquiry
Because Kovco's battalion is based at Holsworthy, New South WalesHolsworthy, New South Wales
Holsworthy is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Holsworthy is located 31 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool and partly in the Sutherland Shire.Holsworthy is most notable for...
, his widow asked that his body be returned to Australia from Kuwait via Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada...
, where it arrived around 7:00 a.m. on 29 April 2006. His coffin was met by Kovco's widow Shelley and his children, parents Judy and Martin and other family members plus an honour guard of three hundred 3RAR personnel in black armbands and dress uniform,
Chief of Defence Force
Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)
Chief of the Defence Force is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force . The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, in a coequal arrangement with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.The position is a...
Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal (Australia)
Air chief marshal is the highest active rank of the Royal Australian Air Force and was created as a direct equivalent of the British Royal Air Force rank of air chief marshal. It is also considered a four-star rank...
Angus Houston
Angus Houston
Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant "Angus" Houston AC, AFC is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force and was the Chief of the Defence Force from 4 July 2005 until his retirement on 3 July 2011...
, Chief of Army Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
Peter Leahy
Peter Leahy
Lieutenant General Peter Francis Leahy AC is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army, whose military career culminated with his appointment as Chief of the Army from 2002 until 2008.-Military career:...
, then Defence Minister Brendan Nelson
Brendan Nelson
Dr Brendan John Nelson is a former Australian politician and former federal Opposition leader. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from the 1996 federal election until 19 October 2009 as the Liberal member for Bradfield, a northern Sydney seat...
and Australian Attorney-General Philip Ruddock
Philip Ruddock
Philip Maxwell Ruddock is an Australian politician who is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the Division of Berowra, New South Wales, for the Liberal Party of Australia...
. Kovco's family later formally identified his body at the mortuary in Glebe
Glebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
.
New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
John Abernethy, who will now "assume jurisdiction in relation to any inquiry into his identity, the date and place of his death and the manner and cause of his death", has organised for homicide investigators at the State Crime Command to coordinate the investigation with the army's special investigations branch. An autopsy conducted on Monday, 1 May determined the cause of death to have been a single bullet wound to the head. The shot left no powder burn, and passed straight through the soldier's body, close to his temple. The bullet itself was not passed to the coroner, and is apparently missing.
A military board of inquiry, headed by former NSW coroner Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
Warren Cook and including former Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
police commissioner
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
Jim O'Sullivan and Colonel Michael Charles, was established to be conducted out of Sydney's Victoria Barracks
Victoria Barracks
There are several Victoria Barracks in the world.*Victoria Barracks, Windsor Castle*Victoria Barracks, Melbourne*Victoria Barracks, Hong Kong*Victoria Barracks, Sydney*Victoria Barracks, Brisbane...
, and Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Elizabeth Cosson
Elizabeth Cosson
Major General Elizabeth Cosson AM, CSC is Australia's most senior female army officer, and the first woman to reach the rank of Major General in the Australian Army...
, the most senior woman in the Army, was appointed to investigate the repatriation.
(Cosson's team travelled to Kuwait on 30 April to investigate the circumstances which led to the "casket bungle".)
Coroner Abernethy was reported to have questioned Defence Minister Brendan Nelson on his three conflicting public statements about Kovco's death.
Military board of inquiry
The military board of inquiry led by Warren Cook convened to investigate issues surrounding both the death and the repatriation in Sydney on 19 June 2006. The opening statement of council assisting Colonel Michael Griffin—via video linkVideoconferencing
Videoconferencing is the conduct of a videoconference by a set of telecommunication technologies which allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously...
from Baghdad—included the revelation that Kovco, on 21 March, just 14 days into his tour of duty, had dreamt of and written in his journal about his death by a shot to the head from his own pistol:
- "I dreamt I was sitting in our room (here) by myself and for some unknown reason I pulled out my 9 mm pistol and shot myself in the head!? I have no idea why but it seemed I wanted to see what it felt like." Kovco described hearing "the click of the hammer" as he shot himself, but he wrote, instead of a loud crack, "the sound went dull as the bullet entered my skull. It was like I could feel the bullet inside… a few seconds later I went limp and started gushing blood from the wounds, nose, ears and mouth. I then seemed to die and woke up and said, fuck, that hurts."
Kovco went on to write that same night that he was not suicidal, but believed the dream was a premonition. "I have no intention of shooting myself," he wrote. "I know it wasn't about killing myself so I'm a bit worried that it might be a premonition about a bullet hitting me in the head but not killing me."
According to PTE Ray Johnson, one of the two men with Kovco at the time of the shooting, "Dreams
Dreams (The Cranberries song)
"Dreams" is the first single released by rock band The Cranberries. The song is taken from their 1993 debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?...
" by The Cranberries
The Cranberries
The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us, later changed by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan. The band currently consists of O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler...
was playing on an mp3 player and Kovco stood at his bunk bed typing on his laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
while the men laughed and mimicked the lead singer Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. She led The Cranberries to worldwide success and fame for 13 years before the band took a hiatus in 2003. Her first solo album Are You Listening? was released in May 2007...
. But the 23-year-old private did not see Kovco place his gun, which had been hanging holstered from the bed, to his head. In a written statement, PTE Johnson said:
- "I think he might have done it in a joking fashion. He may have pulled the pistol and put it to his head, almost to say, 'This is so gay I'd rather be dead'. [...] I have no evidence to support this theory and I didn't see PTE Kovco do it, but it is the only way I can explain how Pte Kovco shot himself."
On 1 December 2006, Defence chief Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston
Angus Houston
Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant "Angus" Houston AC, AFC is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force and was the Chief of the Defence Force from 4 July 2005 until his retirement on 3 July 2011...
announced that the board of inquiry had determined that Kovco died as a result of the inappropriate handling of his personal weapon while engaging in skylarking behaviour.
PTE Kovco's mother, Judy Kovco, was dissatisfied with the report findings and sought an independent coronial inquiry.
Funeral
A funeral service for the dead soldier was held on Tuesday, 2 May in the town hall of his home town of Briagolong, and was attended by several hundred mourners including the Prime Minister and Defence Minister, a large 3RAR presence led by its Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Mick MumfordMick Mumford
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Anthony "Mick" Mumford CSC is a career military officer in the Australian Army.He came to prominence in 2006:*Commanding Officer, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, from early 2006, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel;...
, and a significant media contingent. Australian soldiers in Baghdad held a pre-dawn ceremony, led by Brigadier Paul Symon, to coincide with the funeral. Kovco was buried with full military honours, including a three-volley gun salute and flypast, at the Sale
Sale, Victoria
Sale is a city in the Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. It is the seat of the Shire of Wellington as well as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale and the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland. It has a population of around 13,336, and is expected to reach a population of 14,000 soon...
Cemetery later in the day.
There was some criticism of the addition of Kovco's name to the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
in Canberra on 11 November 2006. The former president of the New South Wales Vietnam Veterans Association, Barry Billing, criticised the inclusion on the grounds that Kovco did not die as a result of hostile action. The inclusion was consistent with standard practice, however, as the names of all members of the Australian military who have died as the result of service in a war zone are included on the Roll without regard to their cause of death.
Draft report misplaced
On 15 May 2006, a CD ROM containing a confidential draft copy of the Defence Department's report detailing the body repatriation "bungle" was accidentally left in the drive of an airline lounge computer at Melbourne AirportMelbourne Airport
Melbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the...
by the investigating officer, Brigadier Elizabeth Cosson
Elizabeth Cosson
Major General Elizabeth Cosson AM, CSC is Australia's most senior female army officer, and the first woman to reach the rank of Major General in the Australian Army...
. Subsequently, Melbourne radio journalist Derryn Hinch
Derryn Hinch
Derryn Nigel Hinch is an Australian media personality best known for his work on Melbourne radio. He is currently the host of 3AW's drive time radio show...
, who claims to have received the CD from the person who found it, broadcast some of the details of the report:
- [Brigadier Cosson] said that "[T]he chain of custody was uncontrolled and vulnerable to failure, we can't find out who decided and we didn't know this was going to happen, that his body should be placed on a commercial flight" [...] And her words they, the military, "lost control, they lost contact with the body"
"I'm deeply embarrassed about it and I deeply regret the circumstances," Air Chief Marshal Houston told a conference on 17 May, and appealed to the media to treat the material sensitively.
The draft report appears to stop short of finding anyone at fault for the problems with Kovco's repatriation.
Coronial inquiry
Following lobbying by Judy Kovco, a Coronial inquest was opened 11 February 2008 and held at the Glebe Coroner's Court. After hearing 8 weeks of evidence, including controversial elements of Kovco's personal history that it was thought may have influenced his death, the Coronial Jury found that it could not determine Kovco's state of mind or whether he knew the weapon was loaded, but that "on the balance of probabilities", it was likely that he had not intended to take his own life.Before the verdict was rendered, counsel assisting the coroner, John Agius, SC, told the jury that the theory that Kovco had been shot by another soldier was "no more than the last grasp of a loving mother who cannot bring herself to accept that her son was less than perfect".
Although numerous witnesses were excused from those originally summoned, the coronial inquiry ran longer than initially slated due to the re-ordering of witnesses and the possible recall of several witnesses late in the inquiry. A request was made by legal counsel representing Kovco's parents to recall several witnesses after the questioning of Warrant Officer Tim Cuming, Kovco's company sergeant major in Iraq. A report submitted as evidence by Major Kyle Tyrell stated that several soldiers had made allegations that WO Cuming had intimidated them and attempted to influence their evidence prior to the military board of inquiry. When asked several questions regarding these allegations, Warrant Officer Cuming said " I claim privilege against self-incrimination". Requests by legal counsel to recall witnesses who were potentially affected by WO Cuming's actions were denied.
The coronial inquiry concluded on 2 April 2008.