Arabic version: بوكولاتجبي يبقى قيد الاحتجاز خلال البحث عن عنوان للإفراج بكفالة

According to ABC News, Justin Bukulatjpi, 20, will remain in custody after lawyers were unable to secure a suitable place for him to live on bail. He was charged with murdering a man and unlawfully causing serious harm to another person during a brawl in Milingimbi in April.

The Northern Territory Supreme Court granted Mr Bukulatjpi bail in May to live with family on the Tiwi Islands. Crown prosecutor Deborah Mandie strongly opposed the decision, telling the court the prosecution had a “very strong” case and would rely on more than 10 minutes of mobile phone footage. Justice Judith Kelly said she had a “high degree of confidence” he would comply with bail conditions.

His planned release was halted after traditional owners wrote to the NT police commissioner with concerns that his presence could cause further unrest. Riots involving at least 100 residents followed, while the Tiwi Islands’ executive director of township leasing blocked him from public spaces. Justice Kelly described those actions as “unacceptable”.

Defence barrister Louise Dart later proposed that Mr Bukulatjpi live with family at Warruwi on South Goulburn Island, 290 kilometres north-east of Darwin. Ms Mandie said the local police station was unmanned for five weeks at a time, making electronic monitoring effectively unavailable, and maintained that he was a flight risk.

Justice Kelly asked Ms Dart to investigate whether respected men or elders in the community would give an undertaking to use their best endeavours to ensure Mr Bukulatjpi stayed at the bail address. She said breaching such an undertaking could lead to a contempt of court charge. The matter was adjourned until September, with Mr Bukulatjpi remanded in custody.