The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have arrested the country’s most decorated soldier Ben Roberts-Smith for five counts of the war crime of murder.
The arrest comes after Roberts-Smith was accused of committing war crimes in Afghanistan in a series of investigative media pieces, which he responded to by suing the related outlets for defamation—cases he ultimately loss.
In the latest development, the 47-year-old was taken into custody at Sydney Airport on April 7 morning and is expected to appear in a New South Wales court later on the same day.
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett confirmed the charges were related to murder committed in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.
The offences include multiple counts of murder, as well as allegations of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the killing of five individuals in Uruzgan Province.
“The maximum penalty for the offence of war crime—murder is life imprisonment,” she said.
Hellbound and Down 