Arnhem Land man bailed on murder charge, to live 500km away

An Arnhem Land man charged with murdering another man during a brawl in Milingimbi last month has been bailed to live with family more than 500 kilometres away.

Justin Bukulatjpi, 20, faced the Northern Territory Supreme Court yesterday charged with murdering the 26-year-old and unlawfully causing serious harm to another person during the melee.

About 50 of Mr Bukulatjpi's relatives sat in the public gallery as defence barrister Louise Dart told Justice Judith Kelly his extended family had relocated to Bathurst Island in the Timor Sea north of Darwin in an attempt to avoid the conflict in central Arnhem Land.

"That was a plan that had been in the works for some time prior to this alleged offending," she said.

"There has been unrest and disagreement in Milingimbi, as I'm told, for some time."

Ms Dart argued Mr Bukulatjpi was not a risk to the community given the distance between Milingimbi and his bail address in the Tiwi Islands, and his lack of criminal history.

While Crown prosecutor Deborah Mandie did not oppose Mr Bukulatjpi's bail, she said the case against him was "very strong."

Ms Mandie told the court that prosecutors would rely on more than 10 minutes of mobile phone footage of the incident in which she said the 20-year-old could be seen wielding a knife above his head before the other man fell to the ground.

"There's certainly a killing and what is clear … is there is absolutely no suggestion of self-defence," she said.

Ms Mandie said the video also showed Mr Bukulatjpi pick up a crate before using a chair as a "weapon" and throwing it at another person.

Despite accepting there was evidence depicting the alleged offending, Justice Kelly said she had a "high degree of confidence" Mr Bukulatjpi would follow his bail conditions.

"I accept that he has a need to be free to prepare for court and obtain legal advice," she said.

Mr Bukulatjpi will be released from custody on Friday before flying to Bathurst Island where he is to remain on bail under strict conditions.

The conditions include that he will be fitted with an electronic monitoring device, report to police, and not go near the community's ferry terminal or airport.

His case will return to court in July.