former prison mate of slain gangland killer Carl Williams could be quizzed over bribes he allegedly made to a former policeman.

Tommy Ivanovic is alleged to have made an unsworn statement to police about the bribes. His statement was corroborated by one made by another man who is now dead, a police ethical standards investigator told the Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday.

Detective Sergeant Jason Lebusque of the police Ethical Standards Department applied to the court to question Ivanovic in custody over the matter.

Magistrate Jelena Popovic adjourned the application until next Monday.

Last month, a magistrate gave police permission to interview Ivanovic over an attempted murder 12 years ago.

Ivanovic is serving 20 years’ jail, with a 15-year minimum, for murder over a road rage incident in 2002.

Magistrate Gregory McNamara granted police six hours to quiz Ivanovic over the attempted murder of Westmeadows man Leigh Pascu, then 32, in 1999.

Ivanovic shared a high-security unit at Barwon Prison with Williams and Matthew Johnson.

Johnson will stand trial in September, accused of bludgeoning Williams to death with a bike shaft on April 19 last year.