Celbert Reece pled guilty to 12 counts of manslaughter
Eight years after the brutal slaying, a trial will finally proceed after three accused in the Bartica massacre pleaded not guilty, while two others pled guilty on a lesser count. Celbert Reece – one of the five men charged with the February 2008 massacre which left 12 persons dead – on Tuesday pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which makes him the second person to enter a guilty plea in as many days.
This jarring revelation was made after Defence Counsel Madan Kissoon indicated that his client wished to enter the not guilty plea. The defendant who was clad in white, pleaded not guilty to the first indictment of the murders, but guilty on the lesser count for his involvement in the deaths which included three law enforcement officers. Lead Prosecutor Diana Kowlessar who read out the defendant’s statements, noted that Reece, called “Chi Chi” explained that on the day before the murderous acts were carried out, he received threats against him via a telephone call from “Fine Man” and he was later held up by fourmen armed with AK-47’s and a car driver who carried a hand gun at East La Penitence. The court heard that this car took him to the Parika bus terminal in Georgetown where he and two other men travelled by bus to Parika. The defendant further claimed that he was “forcibly contracted” to drive the gunmen by boat from Parika to Bartica and to and from a resting place on a nearby island. During the period of his many “forced” transits, he had driven the boat which had two drums of gasoline, to an old wharf in Tiger Bay where he met up with a woman before he briefly saw his family. Reece stated that co-accused Dennis Williams called him via phone and he along with seven other men later boarded a boat once again and “Sad Man” put an AK to his back. He was not released because, according to him, he was the one to fix any problems that arose with the boat’s engine.
The court later heard that the gang bought more fuel after they returned to Tiger Bay after he bought food with a male and female.The men returned to the getaway island.
Recalling the fateful night of the massacre, the defendant said that he and seven other men left the island at 18:00h for Bartica and he docked the boat. Reece also claimed that he heard gunshots and even witnessed five of the 12 victims being shot to the head by “Fine Man”. The court heard that after Reece set the boat adrift at a camp, two safes were opened which contained gold and jewellery. The defendant added that all men were paid six ounces of gold each.
He said he later escaped from “Fine Man” and his henchmen some three months later after which he was captured by Police on May 27, 2008, when he was pointed out in a car while accompanying his friend, “Randy” who was also wanted for murder.
Reece’s not guilty plea comes just one day after co-accused Michael Caesar also pleaded guilty to 12 counts of manslaughter. Caesar on Monday claimed that after the boat docked, he was dressed in a soldier’s uniform and carried an AK-47 and two handguns.
Justice George ordered a probation report for the two accused and they will make their next court appearance on December 16 for sentencing. Meanwhile, the three other accused, Mark Williams, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams and Roger Simon, all pled not guilty to 12 counts of murder and their trial will start this morning at 09:00h.
Over 30 witnesses are expected to testify in the High Court trial of the three accused.
The five, allegedly being a part of the Rondell “Fine Man” Rawlins’ gang attacked the town and fatally shot 12 persons, namely Police Lance Corporal ZaheerZakir and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne. Additionally, Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas and Baldeo Singh were the civilians killed.
