The family of two Afghan men whose deaths were central to the defamation trial of former Australian soldier Ben Roberts-Smith have not received compensation, three years after Australia's most significant war crimes inquiry described payments as 'simply the morally right thing to do'. They say have been left destitute by the killings but are wary of accepting what they call 'blood money' from the Australian government.
SBS News revealed on Tuesday that the family of the two suspected insurgents, who were a father and son, are prepared to travel to Australia to testify in any criminal trial launched over the killings. A defamation case resulted in a Federal Court judge finding that Victoria Cross-winner Roberts-Smith murdered both men on the balance of probabilities. He has not been charged in relation to either death, and continues to assert the men were killed in a lawful engagement