Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial to resume to hear from four Afghan witnesses

The court has heard at least one witness expected to say they saw the Australian soldier murder a farmer by kicking the handcuffed man off a cliff and then ordering him shot, an allegation Roberts-Smith denies

Ben Roberts-Smith's Covid-derailed defamation trial will resume in a week, with the federal court to hear from four Afghan witnesses from a village where the ex-SAS soldier is alleged to have murdered an unarmed civilian in 2012. Roberts-Smith strenuously denies the allegation.

But beyond those witnesses, the already delayed trial almost certainly faces further postponement because of Sydney's uncontrolled coronavirus outbreak.