An inquest into the shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker has heard former constable Zachary Rolfe is “bored” with the process, and is “ready to move on.”
Rolfe shot and killed the 19-year-old Walpiri man during a bungled arrest in the remote Northern Territory community of Yuendumu in November 2019.
He was charged with murder and then acquitted after a supreme court trial.
Under questioning from Ian Freckelton KC, for the NT police, Rolfe said on Tuesday that he did not resent the police involved in the murder case.
“I don’t fell any anger at all, I’m just bored of the situation,” he said.
I’d like for it to finalise…I’m ready to move on.”
Kumanjayi’s cousin, Warlpiri woman Samara Fernandez-Brown, told N-I-R-S the comments are insensitive.
“There’s been no moment of boredom for us, because we’ve been so busy and so exhausted with trying to get everybody together, and so we don’t even have the privilege of being bored….and so I think to say that is just so disrespectful for everybody else who’s experiencing the inquest.”
The coroner is expected to finish taking evidence on Wednesday this week with final submissions to be made in the coming months, but it will be several months before her findings and recommendations are handed down.
In the meantime, Ms Fernandez-Brown says they will only have a resolution when they see “tangible change.”
“I think the resolution will only come when we see some tangible change and when we some consequences being handed down….but also when we see some investment in community and seeing changes come out of how services are being brought into Yuendumu that are community-controlled.
Our healings not going to come until we start seeing change.”
If you liked this article, consider supporting NIRS with a donation to promote truth-telling in reporting across communities.
