The Senior Aboriginal Community Police Officer present in Yuendumu on the night of Kumanjayi Walker's death in 2019 has laid bare his grief over the mishandled arrest of the Warlpiri teenager, who was also his nephew.
Appearing at the coronial inquest into the 19-year-old's death, Derek Japangardi Williams also aired his concerns regarding the broader police force.
Williams told the inquest that three years on from the shooting, he has only just been able to put his uniform back on.
“We in the community… we still feel betrayed and we’re still in mourning,” he told the inquest.
“[The community] want nothing like this to happen again."
'Frightened for my safety'
Constable Zachary Rolfe, the officer who shot Kumanjayi Walker, was this year tried for murder and two alternative charges by the Northern Territory Supreme Court. A jury acquitted him of all charges in March.
However, as a death in custody, the police shooting of Kumanjayi Walker is now subject to coronial inquest, which started in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) this week.
Giving evidence at the court, Senior ACPO Derek Williams said despite being an officer with the police force, he was afraid for his life on the night police shot his nephew.
“I was frightened for my safety and [for] my people,” he told the inquest.
Williams' father also took the stand saying the Yuendumu community had been home to some ‘remarkable’ police, but the shooting had damaged relations.
Deputy Chair of the Central Land Council, Warlpiri Elder Warren Japanangka Williams was by his son’s side on the night of Kumanjayi Walker’s shooting in Yuendumu.
“I was actually traumatised at something like that happening in our community for the first time,” he told the inquest.
“I don’t think anyone had a good night sleep for the next three months.”
Derek Williams father, Warren Williams, described the pain that has persisted in the community since Kumanjayi Walker's death. Source: NITV
Police must 'understand the culture'
The inquest heard police did not tell the community Kumanjayi Walker had died, and left by the back door to catch a plane out of town while the teenager's body lay in the police station.
Warren Williams told the inquest police had robbed the community of important cultural rites.
“In our system when you got a dead body… you never leave it – you stay with that body until something's done, until somebody takes it away,” Warren Williams said.
“Those police officers should have taken that body with them, not leave it at the police station… it shows that I don’t think they cared.”
The inquest heard that while Williams was consulted on the arrest plan, Kumanjayi was shot before that plan could take effect.
Williams said all remote arrests must involve a Senior ACPO or a community Elder, if another death in custody was to be avoided.
“Kartiya [white people] should be walking in two worlds too… there's two worlds… not one world,” he told the inquest.
The inquest heard Northern Territory government policies and laws had also had an impact.
Tomorrow the coroner is expected to hear objections from NT Constable Zachary Rolfe’s legal team, who have lodged a submission to limit the scope of the inquest.
