Zachary Rolfe: NT Police officer appears in court for first day of murder trial over shooting death of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker

Northern Territory Police officer Zachary Rolfe has appeared at the Supreme Court in Darwin for the first day of proceedings of his trial.

NT Police Officer Zachary Rolfe (centre) appeared in court on Monday, July 19 for the first day of his trial. He stands accused of the shooting murder of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in the remote community of Yuendumu in November 2019.

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COVID-19 lockdowns in ­Sydney have thrown the trial of NT police officer Zachary Rolfe into limbo, as key lawyers try to get exemptions to travel to Darwin.

Acting Justice Dean Mildren on Monday confirmed a decision on whether the trial could proceed from July 26 as scheduled would be made on or before Thursday.

Rolfe appeared at the NT Supreme Court on Monday for the first day of proceedings, against a backdrop of dozens of on-duty police officers monitoring the peri­meter of the courthouse on foot.

This week’s proceedings – where the court will consider legal arguments around the admissibility of evidence – are not open to the public.

Justice Mildren will hear legal arguments about how the case is to be run, before the empanelment of the jury, still slated for next Monday.

Rolfe stands accused of the shooting murder of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in the remote community of Yuendumu in November 2019.

Constable Zachary Rolfe, flanked by supporters attends the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory. Picture: Glenn Campbell

It’s believed this is the first case in modern Australian history in which a serving police office has faced murder charges over an Indigenous death in custody.

Rolfe, who is the son of well-known Canberra businesspeople and philanthropists Debbie and Richard Rolfe, faces a mandatory life sentence if found guilty of murder.

The 19-year-old had breached bail to sneak home to attend a relative’s funeral.

Rolfe and members of the Alice Springs-based Immediate Response Team had been called to the remote community to assist with Walker’s arrest.

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At the committal hearing, the court heard that three shots were fired on the night of Walker’s death.

Rolfe had been stabbed with scissors by Walker before the first shot was fired at close range.

Body-camera footage of the attempted arrest was shown during the hearing.

Rolfe, who previously served as an officer in the Australian Army, was suspended on full pay and granted bail to live in Canberra. He returned to Darwin earlier this month ahead of the trial.

Late last year, the trial was moved from Alice Springs to Darwin.

The Supreme Court had initially intended to stream the proceedings into Yuendumu, but at the request of some community members, the stream will no longer go ahead.

The trial is likely to include evidence via video link from several internationally based expert witnesses.

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