Assistant Commissioner Martin Dole ‘had family ties’ to Kumanjayi Walker

The senior police officer named on Zachary Rolfe’s murder indictment was like a ‘little brother’ to the grandparents of Kumanjayi Walker’s partner.

At least three Yuendumu community members told Major Crime detectives about their close relationship with Assistant Commissioner Martin Dole.

The senior Northern Territory police officer named on Constable Zachary Rolfe’s murder indictment was like a “little brother” to the grandparents of Kumanjayi Walker’s partner.

Constable Rolfe was last month found not guilty of murdering Walker at the remote Indigenous community of Yuen­dumu, more than two years after the police officer shot the ­teenager dead during an arrest in 2019.

At least three Yuendumu community members told Major Crime detectives about their close relationship with Assistant Commissioner Martin Dole – then crime commander – in ­interviews after the shooting.

Despite this, Mr Dole – who had served at Yuendumu during his early policing career – ­remained heavily involved in every element of the criminal ­investigation into Mr Walker’s death. Constable Rolfe shot Walker three times after the 19-year-old stabbed him – and ­allegedly tried to stab his Immediate Response Team partner Adam Eberl – with a pair of surgical scissors during an arrest at the remote outback community on November 9, 2019.

Police witness statements, obtained by The Australian, ­reveal the grandparents of Walker’s partner, Rickisha Robertson, considered Mr Dole part of their family.

Kumanjayi Walker

In an interview with detectives on November 27, 2019, Eddie Robertson said Walker was like his “son” and affectionately referred to Mr Dole as his “younger brother”.

“I know the police, I know my younger brother Marty Dole,” he said.

The investigator conducting the interview, Detective Senior Constable Greg Kean, sought clarification: “Your younger brother?”

Mr Robertson confirmed: “Marty Dole.”

“I know him pretty well,” he continued. “I used to nurse him when he was a little boy.”

Mr Robertson told police that Walker had lived with him for the five years before his death after he “got engaged with my granddaughter”.

“It was young people’s life, young people’s love and I was happy about it you know, my granddaughter involved in a (sic) engagement,” he said.

“I used to talk to him, if you need help, I’m here.

“My job was to be a father to look after him and direct him the right way, with my wife, Lottie, which we did and try and do everything and we kept on doing it. As I said, I don’t care how long that take me. And this is how we lived for five years for my granddaughter.”

Mr Robertson told police his granddaughter and Mr Walker were “happy”.

“It was a life that they were for enjoying,” he said.

Zachary Rolfe. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“My job was to just keep on look after him and try to bring him to the right road.”

Mr Robertson then asked: “You working with Marty Dole?”

Constable Kean replied “Yeah, he’s the boss” before telling Mr Robertson they could have a chat about Mr Dole once they had finished taking his statement.

On November 30, 2019, Mr Robertson’s wife, Lottie, also mentioned Mr Dole to a different detective. “Besides, the other thing is to get you guys to do all this, nominate you guys, because of um Jampijinpa up in Darwin, Mr Dole,” she said.

Confused, Detective Senior Constable First Class Emma Carter asked: “Mr Dole?”

“Yeah, Jampijinpa because (inaudible) for you guys to be able to get all our stories across,” Mrs Robertson said.

Mrs Robertson was referring to Mr Dole by his skin name.

In another interview on December 9, 2019, Darren Wilson – whom Eddie and Lottie Robertson raised – asked Detective Sergeant First Class Caragh Hen “What’s Martin doing now?”.

Sergeant Hen asked: “Which Martin?”

“Martin Dole,” he replied.

The Australian has previously revealed that Mr Dole was a member of the investigation management committee directing the criminal investigation and involved in meetings where critical decisions – including the decision to charge Constable Rolfe with murder – were made.

In a 2019 interview with detectives Eddie Robertson, right, referred to Martin Dole as his ‘younger brother’. Picture: ABC

The diary notes of multiple senior NT police reveal Mr Dole, Deputy Commissioner Michael White and Assistant Commissioner Nick Anticich were preparing to charge the police officer with murder within 36 hours of the shooting, alarming detectives working on the case.

On November 11, Mr Dole, Mr Anticich and Detective Superintendent Kirk Pennuto – originally the senior investigating officer – drove to the Director of Public Prosecutions office in the Darwin CBD and showed then-director Jack Karczewski QC body-worn footage of the shooting.

After the lengthy meeting, Mr Dole and Superintendent Pennuto told detectives Mr Karczewski had recommended a murder charge and that the ­“matter needs to be before a jury”.

The next day, Mr Dole told Superintendent Pennuto he “has a source at community who may be able to assist”. It is understood he was referring to Mr Robertson.

“Source has been given 2nd hand info suggesting there are potentially witnesses out there who have disclosed versions not dissimilar from what is known,” Superintendent Pennuto recorded in his police diary. “Agreed MC/ASP investigators call to be provided access to community source, Dole to progress.”

The diary notes of senior police record Mr Dole’s extensive involvement in the criminal investigation throughout the four days between the shooting and Constable Rolfe’s arrest.

Mr Dole also attended a lengthy meeting with the DPP an hour before Constable Rolfe was charged with murder.

A fortnight after the shooting, on November 25, 2019, Mr Dole sent a police memo, Operation Charwell – Structure and Resourcing, to Deputy Commissioner Michael White and Mr Anticich outlining his resourcing requirements.

The document, obtained by The Australian, stated that Operation Charwell was established to:

1. Investigate the fatal police shooting of Arnold Walker on behalf of the Coroner of the Northern Territory of Australia; and

2. Provide a brief of evidence to the DPP in support of the offence as alleged against Constable Zach­ary Rolfe.

Police sources say the mission statement is alarming because an investigation should precede a charge rather than seek evidence to support a charge after it has been laid. The document also claimed that a dedicated community liaison officer would be appointed “to manage the relationships with and information exchange” between investigators and the Yuendumu community.

Despite this, on December 5, 2019, Mr Dole personally visited Walker’s relatives at Yuendumu – along with Mr Anticich, Superintendent Pennuto and the investigation’s use-of-force expert Senior Sergeant Andrew Barram – and met with a “select committee” to answer questions about their investigation.

NT police media director Rob Cross declined to comment.