Former Minister of National Security Robert Montague has charged that the Integrity Commission is planning to raid his house.

Montague made the charge in the House of Representatives on Tuesday where he also accused the anti-corruption body of “…trying to shut me up, they are hell-bent on destroying me”.

He asserted that “there is a witch hunt out on me”.

Of the “planned raid” Montague said “…I have no problem nor objection. A person from a media house has asked around where I live because they are coming to cover a raid, at my house. If this planned raid is a fact, is this an abuse or misuse of power?”

Montague has had a long-running dispute with the commission since he was cited for issuing gun licences to persons of questionable character when he was security minister. He has used the cover of Parliament to accuse the commission of bias and vindictiveness.

“When they cannot lawfully destroy you, they abuse the awesome power that they have. The Integrity Commission is abusing its powers,” he claimed.

He argued that any reasonable person would expect that having made an annual return in 2018, and a request was not made for additional information, and you made a return in 2019, in 2020 and in 2021, “is it reasonable to ask four years later (in 2022)?”

Said Montague: “No matter what I supply them, the die is casted, I publicly criticise them; then I will be taught a lesson. They are going to continue asking for information and then of course charge me just before, or as an election is called. You mark my words, record it and let’s see”.

Montague charged that the commission is above criticism and if you do criticise, “they come after you”. He also charged that the commission has been weaponised.

“This is spiteful, vindictive and abusive, but I will endeavour to satisfy them as is required,” he declared. And, he also claimed that he is being unfairly treated.

“I have been treated with bias, malice and contempt,” he said further while revisiting an old grievance.

“The Integrity Commission did an investigation into the issuance of firearms licenses and reviews done by Ministers of National Security between 2012 and 2018. They could not find one instant where I broke the law, they could not find any abuse of power, they could not find any action resulting from bribery or fraud and they could not even name me in the final recommendations. They made no recommendations for any action against me. They made no recommendation for me to be referred to any other investigative agency or body. Significantly, the Integrity Commission could not get a ruling against me from their own Director of Corruption Prosecution”.