NT Police reject calls to stand down prosecutor in White case

The Northern Territory Police has rejected calls to stand down a prosecutor linked to the restraint of 24-year-old Warlpiri man Kumanjayi White, whose death in May sparked protests and community outrage.

Protesters had gathered outside the Alice Springs courthouse recently demanding that police prosecutor Steven Haig be removed from duty while an investigation into the incident continues.

About 70 people attended the demonstration, led by Senior Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves and community member Maxine Carlton, who described herself as White’s “second mum.”

Mr White, who lived with disability, died on May 27 after being restrained by two off-duty police officers outside a residence. The incident is under investigation by NT Police, with results of an autopsy and other forensic testing still pending. No charges have been laid.

Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said there were no grounds at this stage to suspend Mr Haig.

“At present there is nothing before us that would warrant him being stood down. We will await the findings of the investigation,” he told reporters.

Mr Hargraves said the community had lost patience. “Another young Warlpiri man is gone, and we are told to wait. It is not good enough. We want accountability now,” he said.

Protesters also raised broader concerns about prison conditions and high incarceration rates of Indigenous people in the Northern Territory.

Figures from the NT Department of Corrections show Aboriginal people make up 88 per cent of the prison population despite accounting for about 30 percent of the Territory’s population.

Ms Carlton said the case highlighted systemic failures. “The system does not protect our young men. Instead it punishes them at every turn,” she said.

Indigenous people continue to die in police interactions at grossly disproportionate rates.

Human rights advocates said the case bore similarities to other high-profile Indigenous deaths in custody. Ruth Barson, legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre, said the White case reflected a national crisis.

“Indigenous people continue to die in police interactions at grossly disproportionate rates. Every case underscores the urgent need for independent oversight and structural reform,” she said.

The protests also drew attention to the lack of progress on Closing the Gap targets related to justice. The most recent data shows that Indigenous incarceration rates continue to rise despite commitments to reduce them.

NT Police said they were cooperating fully with the investigation and would release details once the coroner’s findings were complete. A spokesperson confirmed that Mr White’s family had been offered regular updates and support.

Mr Haig has not spoken publicly about the incident. He has continued working in his role as a prosecutor since the death.

Mr Hargraves said Elders would continue to organise demonstrations until meaningful action was taken. “We will not stop until justice is done for Kumanjayi,” he said.