The Northern Territory anti-corruption watchdog has cleared former chief minister Michael Gunner of political interference allegations over the decision to charge a policeman with an Indigenous teenager’s murder.
Former constable Zachary Rolfe was acquitted of murdering Kumanjayi Walker, 19, who he shot three times and killed during a bungled outback arrest at Yuendumu in 2019.
After his five-week trial ended in March last year the NT Police Association, opposition politicians and Mr Rolfe’s legal team alleged the then chief minister, Gunner politically interfered in the decision to arrest the former policeman.
A central feature of the allegations was Gunner’s address to the Yuendumu community three days after Mr Walker was killed when he said “consequences will flow” while explaining the role of a coroner….