The ex-wife of John Sekta is charged with telling a private detective she wanted the union heavyweight assassinated and encouraging someone to plan a murderous plot.
Emma Walters, 46, was charged last week with plotting to kill the head of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, and she appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday via video link.
According to court documents, she has been accused of threatening to kill Setka on March 21 with the intent that private eye Adrian Peeters would “fear such threat would be carried out” or “being careless as to whether or not” he would worry the threat would be carried out.
Additionally, Walters is accused of encouraging someone to obtain a firearm without a licence and encouraging someone to engage in murderous plots.
Last Monday, police investigators searched her Footscray house and found a cell phone.
Body-worn camera footage would be used as evidence, prosecutor Laura Zubreckyj said the court on Wednesday.
She requested that the magistrate impose fresh restrictions on Walters’ contact rights, prohibiting her from speaking to Peeters or any former or present employees of his Group One Investigations company.
Walters has refuted each and every charge. Her bond was increased, and the next time she appears in court is on July 17.
Accusations that Walters engaged in domestic abuse, which he has denied, have been the subject of a protracted court dispute between Setka and Walters.
She is also suing the state of Victoria for allegedly failing to safeguard her from the police.
When Walters was in court, Setka was addressing a CFMEU protest in Melbourne’s central business district as part of the union’s national day of action for reforming labour laws and getting rid of the Fair Work Ombudsman.
