A police officer and an ICAC employee have been accused of disclosing confidential information, with the ICAC employee referred to the NT Police’s secret investigative unit before her mobile phone was seized last week, NT Police said.

Commissioner Michael Riches issued a statement Friday afternoon, indicating the 23-year-old female investigated by the Special References Unit worked in his office.

NT Police said SRU detectives executed a warrant and seized the woman’s phone on June 3, after she was referred to the SRU by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption.

Mr Riches released a statement after the charge was made public by police confirming the woman worked in his office.

“Shortly after commencing as the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption I stated publicly that:

‘Those who work in my office must act with the utmost integrity. I demand nothing less of myself and my staff. Anyone who cannot or will not meet that expectation has no place in my team. Where allegations of impropriety are made about my staff or me, they will be taken seriously. It matters not to me who made the allegation or the circumstances in which the allegation is made. What matters to me is the integrity of this office, which must be above reproach.’

“My position hasn’t changed. I will not comment further while judicial proceedings and disciplinary processes are on foot.”

The woman will appear in court on July 19 to face one charge of disclosing confidential information under the criminal code and another count of unauthorised disclosure of information obtained in the course of performing a function under the ICAC Act.

The other case involves a 50-year-old female police officer who police said earlier on Friday has been charged and suspended from duty with pay for also allegedly disclosing confidential information. However, she is being investigated internally by NT Police Crime Command and the Professional Standards Command.

She has also been ordered to appear in the Darwin Local Court on July 19 – the same day as the 23-year-old ICAC employee. It was unclear if the charges were connected.