Witnesses who were in Yuendemu the night Kumanjayi Walker was killed gave evidence, both in person and via video link on day 9 of the trial. Aboriginal interpreters who spoke Warlpiri and Anmatjere were used to assist with translating witness testimony into English.
Constable Zachary Rolfe has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Kumanjayi Walker and alternative charges of manslaughter and doing a violent act causing death.
Leanne Oldfield was one of those in court to give evidence and described how Kumanjayi Walker grew up with her family and referred to her as “Mum”.
She described sharing a happy moment with Kumanjayi Walker at House 511 shortly before he was killed.
“He was looking at the family photo, he was laughing at the photo," she testified.
"He had [in the photo] two cousin was really small and Aunty was next to [them] in the swimming pool.”
Leanne Oldfield (R) leaves court. Source: NITV
Ms Oldfield said moments after Kumanjayi Walker went back in the house Constable Zachary and his partner Adam Eberl arrived.
“I seen the police coming through the gate. They was walking really quickly. I seen the guns," she told the court.
Minutes later Zachary Rolfe had shot the teenager three times in a failed arrest attempt. Kumanjayi Walker died about an hour later from his injuries.
The Aunty of the Kumanjayi Walker, Louanna Williams, told the murder trial that her nephew planned to surrender himself to police after a family funeral.
Ms Williams said she’d spoken to Kumanjayi Walker following the so-called 'axe incident' from three days previous to the shooting, when he threatened local police officers with a hatchet to evade arrest.
She said Kumanjayi Walker denied being involved in recent break-ins at Yuendemu, and wanted to be arrested by his Uncle, Louanna's brother, Senior Aboriginal Community Police Officer Derek Williams.
“He told me that he wanted to be arrested after the funeral because he knew that he was in trouble," she said.
"He was comfortable for Derek to arrest him.”
Yuendumu resident Danielle Martin spoke with Constable Rolfe’s fellow Immediate Response Team member Constable James Kirstenfeldt in the moments before three gun shots rang out from inside the nearby House 511.
She said she didn’t know Kumanjayi Walker but felt frightened as Constable Kirstenfeldt had his hand on his gun while speaking with her.
The police officer in charge of Central Australia Assistant Police Commissioner Travis Wurst also took the stand.
He approved the the IRT deployment Yuendemu to relieve local police who were fatigued and to assist in arresting Kumanjayi Walker.
“It was not, in my view, deemed a high-risk deployment," Assistant Commissioner Wurst said.
"Efforts would be undertaken utilising family and family relationships to facilitate (Kumanjayi Walker’s) surrender.”
Assistant Commissioner Wurst said he hadn’t seen the plan to arrest Kumanjayi Walker prior to Constable Rolfe and other IRT team going out on patrol in Yuendemu.
He also said he hadn’t viewed video footage of the axe incident before approving the deployment.
The jury also heard from the Immediate Response Team member Senior Constable Anthony Hawkings who was a police officer in New Zealand before joining NT Police.
The Officer repeatedly responded to prosecution questions about the IRT’s deployment with "I don’t recall."
"Did Sergeant Julie Frost give you a briefing?"---"I don’t recall"
And: "Was there a discussion about what you were there to do?"---"I don’t recall."
The officer also said his police notebook, in which he made some notes during the deployment, had gone missing after the shooting.
Sen. Constable Hawkings' body-worn camera vision was also played to the court. It showed him standing just outside the room where the shooting took place.
He was asked by the prosecution,“Did you see Kumanjayi Walker holding any scissors? Either the first time, or subsequently?”
"Looking back now... I can’t recall seeing too much [of] what was happening."
Senior Constable Hawkings is expected to take the stand again tomorrow morning.
