Maythem Kamil Radhi pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday to facilitating the proposed entry of at least five non-citizens into Australia between July 1 and October 19, 2001.
The jury was told the events of the case involve the voyage of a boat known as SIEV-X that left Indonesia and sank at sea leading to a "significant number of lives being lost".
The Crown alleges the Iraqi-born Radhi was not the kingpin of the group that tried to bring the non-citizens into Australia, but instead one of those who helped the leader Abu Quessy, prosecutor Chris Shanahan told the court in his opening address.
Radhi, 46, is accused of facilitating their entry by doing one or more things like collecting money, arranging buses, visiting places where passengers stayed before the journey and helping organise people at the vessel's departure point on the beach.
Mr Shanahan said jurors would hear evidence about the boat - referred to as the Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel (SIEV) designated X - sinking on the way to Australia from Indonesia.
Some 20 passengers who became concerned about the seaworthiness of the boat disembarked and returned to Indonesia before it sank, while others were rescued, he added.
Six of the surviving passengers - Fawzi Al Majed, Quasy Al Majid, Odai Salim, Mahmood Yussef, Raad Zbari and Adam Namu - are expected to testify during the trial.
They were not Australian citizens and did not hold valid visas to enter the country.
Defence barrister Mark McCarthy said prosecutors needed to prove Radhi's alleged involvement was over several months from July 1, 2001.
He told jurors to ask themselves during deliberations whether evidence showed that what Radhi did was done with the intention to facilitate the proposed entry into Australia of the group of at least five people, while reminding them the events occurred more than two decades ago.
"I ask you to keep in mind the need to assess the extent to which the recollections of witnesses that they share with you in this court may be affected by the passage of time," he added.
"The issue in this trial is what did he (Radhi) do, what did he intend and what was he aware of 21 years ago."
Justice Lincoln Crowley told jurors not to allow any emotions or feelings of sympathy, prejudice or bias about the "tragic event" that led to a significant number of lives being lost distract them from their duty.
"Your role as the jury ... is not about seeking to blame any person or hold any person accountable for those deaths," he added.
The trial is expected to last about eight days.
