As the Bartica massacre trial nears its end, closing arguments will next week be heard by the prosecution and the defence. Following the presentations, the judge will sum up the case before the 12-member jury can decide on guilt or innocence.
Mark Royden Williams, called “Smallie”, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams and Roger Simon, better known as “Goat Man”, are the three standing accused for the February 17, 2008 massacre at Bartica, where 12 persons including three Policemen were slaughtered. Two other accused, Clebert Reece and Michael Caesar pled guilty to manslaughter late last year and were sentenced to 420 and 1080 years respectively. Caesar’s sentence carried more years as he admitted involvement in the January 2008 massacre at Lusignan, on the East Coast of Demerara.
Mark Royden Williams, Dennis Williams and Roger Simon are the three standing trial for the massacre at Bartica
At Friday’s court session, co-accused Dennis Williams continued a campaign of his refusal to attend court. His co-defendants were present at the trial. Chief Prison Officer Roddy Denhart informed the court that Williams while being informed by prison officers of his obligation to attend his trial, has indicated that he is not attending court. In fact, Williams has even stated that presiding Judge, Justice Roxane George, SC can proceed with the trial in his absence.
He first missed Wednesday’s trial and has since discharged his lawyer, Defence Counsel, Shapier Hussain. On Thursday, Hussain was reassigned to his client even though “all communication” has broken down between the two.
“I appear in protest,” he told the court on Thursday.
Additionally on Thursday, co-accused Roger Simon continued the trend of his fellow defendants where he too denied that he was involved in the massacre at Bartica. In an unsworn statement, the murder accused noted that he was at a mining camp at Cornfield Backdam, 14 Mile, Potaro, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) at the night of the deadly attack.
“My worship, I am in jail eight years, nine months for something punishing for something I know nothing about; I…was nowhere around Bartica at all at all at all,” he testified.
Simon had further claimed that it was February 18, 2008 that he received word of the Bartica massacre. The jury heard that he left the area to check on his children at Bartica one to two days after.
However, when owner of the mining operation, Bryan Chase was cross-examined by the prosecution, he explained that Simon left two hours after hearing about the incident on the February 18. Although Simon was from Bartica, Chase denied that they were friends and rejected any assertion that the two being friends was reason for him to offer evidence.
With the end of Chase’s testimony on Thursday afternoon, the defence rested its case following the conclusion of the State’s case. The three men along with others were part of the infamous Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins gang that allegedly carried out attacks at various locations.
