Gunmen broke safes, stole firearms in Police Station Terror
Bartica Massacre Trial
At Tuesday’s hearing of the Bartica Massacre trial at the High Court, two police
Terror and mayhem: Mark Williams, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams and Roger Simon are three standing trial for the Bartica Massacre
witnesses testified that from their observations, the gang broke safes and padlocks and made off with several weapons and matching rounds at the Bartica Police Station in the February 17, 2008 ordeal.
Among the weapons the bandits reportedly made off with from the wooden safe were six FN rifles with 274 rounds, two .30 US carbine guns with 120 .30 rounds, two 12-guage shot guns along with twelve 12-guage cartilages, four .38 revolvers with 39 .38 rounds and 10 fn maximums, all property of the Guyana Police Force. The 12 member jury also heard that the bandits stole $ 55,000 in bail money and $10,450 in learner drivers’ fees.
Police Sergeant Gavin Marshall and Retired Sergeant Cheryl Hill testified that the day before the brutal massacre at Bartica, they witnessed that a wooden ‘strong box’ and one metal safe had been secured by use of its tower bolts and one padlock each, before they handed over the shift to other ranks at the enquiries office of the Bartica Police Station. Sergeant Hill had handed over to Corporal Zaheer Zakir, who was murdered by the criminal gang.
Marshall had traveled to Georgetown while Sergeant Hill was stationed at a pavilion between 3rd and 4th Avenue at the time of the attack. She testified that while the gunmen commenced their attack around 21:40 hrs, she and two other ranks were too afraid to return to the station. The retired policewoman added that she stayed put for hours because she felt that it unsafe to proceed on foot. Upon her return after 04:00 hrs the next morning on February 18, Hill testified that the broken box and the 6 feet high metal safe that she saw may have been broken off by gunfire. “I did not see the arms or ammunition in the wood cupboard nor the money in the safe,” the Sergeant explained.
Meanwhile the court also heard that two .32 revolvers along with 10 rounds which belonged to the Roshan Khan Security Service was kept also kept at the police station.
Under cross-examination, Sergeant Marshall revealed that nothing was untoward with Khan’s arms and ammunition being lodged at the station, pointing that “it was okay” for this to have occurred.
In his recollection of events, Marshall further noted that at 21:50 hrs while being at home on that fateful night, he saw a newsflash on television of the terror at Bartica. He reported to the Tactical Services Unit at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary before he was transported back to Bartica around 02:00 hrs the next day, where he recalled witnessing the motionless bodies of murdered policemen Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne, as well as the five men who were shot dead at the Ferry Stelling.
“I saw Lance Corporal Zakeer and Constable Fredericks lying almost close to each other with what appeared to be gunshot wounds,” Marshall noted, adding that he had submitted a statement to police which included all that he had witnessed.
Meanwhile Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Michael Sutton who testified earlier on Tuesday, said that he too was afraid of leaving his living quarters after hearing what he described as “several explosions”.
ASP Sutton, then Inspector Sutton, also noted that after he armed himself with his firearm, he was about to leave his room when he heard sounds of footsteps running from the barrack room, heard apparent gunshots and then someone shouted: “Let us kill them”.
Sutton explained that sometime after he heard someone say: “Lets go.” After this, the ASP noted there was silence for a few minutes then he heard the engine of a police vehicle, a land rover, start and the said vehicle left the station.
Asked by Defense Counsel Roger Yearwood just how could say that this was indeed the vehicle that was used, Sutton stated that he knew the sound of the vehicle, as there was only one land rover on the island. He said that the bandits went “deeper into the village” and carried out more attacks. He too recalled witnessing the motionless bodies of the murdered police officers.
Meanwhile, Edward Thomas, brother of Derrick Thomas also took to stand to testify that he identified and witnessed the Post Mortem Examination of his slain sibling also killed in the Bartica attack. Mark Williams, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams and Roger Simon are the three accused standing trial for the attack. Two others, Celbert Reece and Michael Caesar both pled guilty to manslaughter. The matter continues before Justice Roxane George this morning.
