Men accused over the death of Kumunjayi Pollard in February last year have been ordered to stand trial in the Supreme Court: six have been charged with murder, the seventh with being accessory after the fact.
As they were addressed, the men were looking at and appearing to follow what Magistrate John Birch had to tell them – that he was satisfied there was sufficient evidence to place them on their trial. Only Silas Raggett sat with head bent, hands clasped and eyes fixed on the floor. In contrast to the hearing days, the gallery was empty.
The men have been remanded in custody until arraignment in the Supreme Court on May 6.
Other counts against them have for the time being been withdrawn and dismissed: these were ‘deprive a person of personal liberty’ in the case of Mervyn Wilson, Christopher Daniel, Lawrence Collin, and Silas Raggett, the same for Kasman Andy as well as aggravated unlawful use of a motor vehicle and arson, the latter two also having applied to Robert Daniel. Only Grant Inkamala had no other counts against him.
– Kieran Finnane