Bartica Massacre trial
The trial of Bartica massacre accused Mark Williams, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams and Roger Simon continued at the High Court on Tuesday, with another Voir Dire (trial within a trial) hearing. These trials are being held to determine if testimonies can be deemed material to the Bartica massacre case.
Following its conclusion, presiding Judge Roxanne George will rule on the admissibility (validity and acceptability) of the evidence into the main trial. Half a dozen witnesses have testified so far and another preliminary trial is slated for today, as another witness is scheduled to be called by the defence.
The three men along with Celbert Reece and Michael Caesar – both of whom pled guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter early last week – were all accused of executing an attack where 12 persons, including three Policemen were brutally murdered in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
Police Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne, along with civilians Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas and Baldeo Singh were all killed in the February 17, 2008 ordeal.
It is believed that the five were part of the Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins gang which attacked the town and murdered the 12 individuals. The February 2008 Bartica attack followed another massacre at Lusignan, on the East Coast of Demerara, where 11 persons were also brutally killed.
