“I don’t know if I really watched the tunnel. I probably didn’t get into the tunnel,” he said.
When asked if he had been informed that Afghan men of fighting age had been found in the tunnel, Person 81 said, “No.”
He said he was told that objects had been found inside the tunnel, which coincides with evidence presented by other witnesses. He said he did not see any men coming out of the tunnel or being taken prisoner nearby.
Person 81 said he had heard a complaint in recent times that two men were found in the tunnel and died after being taken prisoner. “I didn’t remember the year, but it was in a recent investigation,” he said. He said he would have denounced the complaint if it had been raised with him in 2009.
The 81-person trial is expected to conclude on Thursday, before Roberts-Smith officially closes his case. Judge Anthony Besanko will hear the parties’ conclusions after a brief break, before handing down their verdict at a later date.