A Northern Territory policeman accused of murdering an Aboriginal teenager has arrived at Darwin Supreme Court for his long awaited trial.

February 7, 2022

A Northern Territory policeman accused of murdering an Aboriginal teenager has arrived at court for his long awaited trial.

Constable Zachary Rolfe, 30, has pleaded not guilty to the shooting murder of Kumanjayi Walker in November 2019.

The 19-year-old died after he was shot three times in the remote community of Yuendumu, 290km northwest of Alice Springs.

Rolfe’s Supreme Court trial in Darwin is scheduled to start on Monday when the jury will be empanelled.

The trial has been postponed three times – twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first postponement was in July when the Crown’s interstate prosecution team was unable to travel to the NT from Sydney due to NT COVID-19 border restrictions.

The second was in mid-August when parts of the Top End were locked down after a virus outbreak in Darwin.

The most recent delay in late August was due to a High Court challenge over Rolfe’s proposed defence.

The trial is likely to run for more than a month with about 50 witnesses and experts.

The time frame tallies with an expected peak in the spread of the Omicron variant, previously forecast by NT Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie.

The jury will sit from 9.30am until 1.15pm each day – instead of the usual 10am to 4pm – to “reduce the chance of people catching the virus”, a court spokesperson said.

“Inside court, the jury will be divided to maximise the space between them, so they will not all be seated in the jury box as is usually the case.”

Sitting for less than four hours a day will also help prevent jury members from being deemed close contacts and having to isolate if someone becomes infected.

The definition of a close contact changed nationally in late December to a person who has spent four hours or more with a confirmed case.

Close contacts are required to quarantine for seven days and take a rapid antigen test on day six.

A large contingent of media has converged on the court with pre-trial news stories appearing internationally, including in the Washington Post.

Rolfe is charged with murder, with alternative counts of manslaughter and engaging in a violent act causing death.

He is being defended by David Edwardson QC while Philip Strickland SC will prosecute for the Crown.

The prosecution opening is expected to start on Tuesday.