The man, who was a teenager when the alleged murder of William Chaplin occurred and can't be named, was covertly recorded in phone conversations saying he had cut his throat and burnt his body.

Detective Sergeant Chris Wallace played the calls and asked him about them.

The man told police an older man, who also can't be named, had told him to convince people he was responsible for the killing.

He said he was afraid of the older man and was ordered by him to take the blame.

Albury Detective Sergeant Chris Wallace told the man during the interview, on September 5, 2019, that police had a good idea when people were lying.

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"You can continue to tell porkies, but I'm asking you and it's all recorded ... I would just like you to tell the truth," the detective said.

"I am doing that right now," the man on trial said.

"I don't believe you are," the detective replied.

The accused man said "I know it's looking bad" and Detective Sergeant Wallace said he was "better off telling the total truth".

The detective had questioned why he would tell people things in the calls that weren't true.

"Because I have to," the man said.

"I have to convince them."

Near the start of the interview, the man said he didn't realise Mr Chaplin had gone missing, and only learnt about it when police were investigating.

He later said he knew the killing, or murder, was happening, and later said he knew he was going to go missing.

"I know William's not coming back," he said.

The man said he had been told to say there was a knife in a dam and Mr Chaplin's clothes were buried near silos.

He was asked what he'd done with Mr Chaplin's body.

"I have no idea," he said, but then said he believed the older man would have burnt the body or chopped it up.

The trial in the Supreme Court continues.

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