As the trial into the horrific 2008 Bartica Massacre continues in the High Court, the first hearing in 2017 was greeted to brief albeit intense exchanges as the defence counsel representing Dennis “Anaconda” Williams, Shapheir Hussain requested that the long-awaited matter be dismissed.
Before the first witness took the stand to testify during the morning session on
Mark Williams, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams and Roger Simon are standing trial for the February 2008 Bartica Massacre
Tuesday, Hussain responded to Justice Roxane George’s admonition to the court regarding adherence to time.
Justice George, who was recently appointed a senior counsel, just before 10:00h on Tuesday greeted those present in the courtroom, but cautioned that for the new year, the court will proceed on time regardless of the absence of counsel or prisoners. Some minutes later, Hussain, who had stated he has been practising since the 1980s, rose up and quipped that “in many instances”, the prosecution could not produce witnesses on time and, therefore, submitted that the case be dismissed.
The court later heard that Detective Sergeant Rodwell Sarrabo, who was on duty at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in November 2008, could not produce any document to show that the accused Mark Williams was ever charged before May 2009. It was disclosed that the court could not locate the case jacket of Williams’ arrest. Mark Williams’ Attorney, Roger Yearwood then suggested that there “was no credible evidence” to charge Williams in 2008. However, the Police witness retorted there was, in fact, an identification parade during which the accused was identified. Sarrabo further testified that he did produce an oral statement dated June 18, 2008, regarding the matter of Williams’ arrest.
When Detective Sergeant Sarrabo had testified in mid-December 2016, he had explained that he witnessed another accused, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams signing the caution statement which detailed an account of events surrounding the crimes which were allegedly carried out by the infamous Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins.
Mark Williams, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams and Roger Simon are the three accused standing trial for the February 17, 2008 attack in which 12 persons lost their lives. Two others, Celbert Reece and Michael Caesar, both pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to 420 and 1080 years in prison respectively. The State Prosecutors are Diana Kaulesar and Stacey Goodings, while Attorney Peter Hugh is representing the other co-accused Roger Simon. The matter continues before Justice George this morning. (Shemuel Fanfair)
