Witnesses continue testimony in voir dire

Bartica Massacre trial

As the trial of the Bartica Massacre accused Mark Williams, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams and Roger Simon continues, witnesses on Monday took the stand and testified in a voir dire (trial within trial).
Presiding Judge Roxanne George will later rule if the evidence can be admitted into the main trial.
The witnesses, along with Celbert Reece and Michael Caesar who pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter early last week, were all accused of carrying out an attack whereby 12 persons, including three Policemen, were brutally killed.
Reece, one of the five men charged with the February 2008 massacre, had last week claimed that he was forced to drive a boat for the gang. Michael Caesar in his account stated that after the boat docked, he was dressed in a soldier’s uniform and carried an AK-47 and two handguns. Justice George has ordered a probation report for the two accused. They will make their next court appearance on December 16 for sentencing.
The five men, allegedly part of the Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins gang, attacked the town and shot dead the 12 persons, namely Police Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne; Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas and Baldeo Singh.
The matter continues before Justice George this morning.