150 witnesses set to appear at Churchill fire hearing

More than 600 statements have been collected to form part of the brief of evidence, the Melbourne Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

Brendan Sokaluk, 39, of Churchill, is facing 191 charges including 157 of criminal damage and nine of arson causing death from the Churchill fires on Black Saturday that killed 11 people.

Sokaluk appeared briefly at court via video link from the Melbourne Assessment Prison.

During yesterday's committal mention, Sokaluk's lawyer, Julian McMahon, said that from a list of 610 people who had made a statement for the evidence brief, 209 should be called as witnesses to be cross-examined. Prosecutor Grant Hayward said the Crown opposed more than 60, but the parties agreed on 150 to 170 witnesses.

Mr McMahon said some questions examined at the Bushfires Royal Commission would be raised in Sokaluk's committal hearing, including whether triple-zero calls were connected. He said witness statements included "observations about other suspicious people".

Magistrate Simon Garnett said the hearing would also consider the matters of when and where the fire started. ADRIAN LOWE