Trial into 2008 murder of soldier: No threats, promises held out to alleged killer – retired Policeman tells jury

While he was in custody at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, no threats, promises, or any kind of inducement were held out to Mark Royden Williams, the accused on trial for the 2008 murder of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Corporal Ivor Williams.

Mark Williams, called “Smallie”, who is on death row for killing 12 persons, including three Police ranks during the 2008 massacre at Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), is currently on trial before Demerara High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon for the January 23, 2008 murder of the soldier, who was shot dead by gunmen during a military operation at Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
When the trial continued on Thursday, retired Policeman Trevor Reid testified that, in 2008, he was a Sergeant of Police and was attached to the Homicide Unit, CID Headquarters, which was tasked with investigating such matters as designated by the Crime Chief or Police Commissioner.

According to Reid, on June 12, 2008, he received a file with instructions to comply with the then Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP’s) advice to institute a murder charge against Mark Williams and others. As such, he said, he caused the charge to be filed in court the next day.
He said he received information on June 15, 2008 that Mark Williams was arrested and was being kept at CID Headquarters. He recalled receiving further instruction to put an allegation for the offence of murder to the accused, who was charged in July 2008 with some other murders.
While Mark Williams was in Police custody, Reid recounted, he recalled instructing a Police Corporal to ensure that the prisoner was medically examined, “because, habitually, prisoners complain of being assaulted by Police officers. I instructed that they take him to the Grove Medical Centre, where access to the doctor was very easy, with less security risk…,” he said.
“At no time while he [Mark Williams] was in custody did he make a request, or did anyone inform me that he requested, to see an attorney…nor did I or anyone make any threats, held out any promises or any kind of inducements while he was in Police custody,” Reid said.

Wanted
The witness told the court that prior to Mark Williams’s arrest, he was aware that a wanted bulletin had been issued for him and others, for questioning into several killings.
After Reid testified, the prosecution, represented by State Counsels Latifah Elliott and Muntaz Ali, closed their case. This trial continues on Monday, when the defence, led by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Highes, will open its case.
In 2017, Mark Williams and Dennis “Anaconda” Williams were sentenced to death by hanging for their involvement in the 2008 Bartica massacre, which left 12 persons, including three Policemen, dead. Following a trial, they were found guilty of the killings by a jury.
The two Williams convicts have since filed an appeal against their conviction and sentence. That case is yet to be called at the Court of Appeal of Guyana.
On February 17, 2008, gunmen carried out a brazen attack on the community of Bartica while members of the mining community were watching a game of 20/20 cricket on television. On that fateful night, Police Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne were fatally shot. Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas, and Baldeo Singh were the civilians killed.
Then, in 2021, Mark Williams was found not guilty by a jury of the December 16, 2007 murders of 35-year-old Rajesh Singh and 25-year-old Fazal Hakim, which occurred at Triumph, ECD. Another man, Michael Caesar, called “Capone”, was sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter over the deaths of Singh and Hakim.
In February 2019, Mark Williams and Sherwin Nero, called “Catty” or “Pussy”, were both found not guilty of the murder of businessman Kumar Singh, which occurred on August 30, 2007. Singh, 51, also known as “Mango Man”, of Cove and John, ECD, was shot and killed by bandits.
In May 2013, Mark Williams and another man, James Hyles, called “Sally”, were found not guilty of murdering 11 persons, including children, in the January 2008 massacre that occurred at Lusignan, ECD.

Appealed
Following the men’s discharge, the State appealed their acquittals to the Court of Appeal, arguing, among other things, that several material irregularities had rendered the not guilty verdicts unsafe and unsatisfactory. The appellate court unanimously allowed the State’s appeal, thereby remitting the matter to the High Court for a new trial.
But Mark Williams and Hyles appealed that ruling to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which, in May 2018, restored their acquittals.
In 2017, Mark Williams was among the high-profile prisoners who escaped after a fire gutted the Camp Street Prison in Georgetown. He was however apprehended weeks later by Police ranks while he was on board a public minibus on the Weldaad Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCB). (G1)