‘Fine Man’s suspected helper goes back to jail

Jun 25, 2008 News

In a twist of events, Omali Rogers, 30, who appeared in court on Monday last, made yet another court appearance yesterday, before Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

On Monday, Rogers was charged with harbouring wanted man Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins and with being an accessory after the fact of murder.

The first charge read stated that between April 22 and June16 last, at Christmas Falls, Upper Berbice River, Rogers knowingly harboured Rondell Rawlins, called ‘Fine Man’; Cecil Simon Ramcharran, called ‘Uncle’ or ‘Magic’; Robin Chung, called ‘Chung Boy’; Mark Royden Williams, called Royden Durant and ‘Smallie’; and Otis Fiffee, called ‘Mud Up’; whose names and photographs were publicly displayed or publicised by the Police as wanted persons in connection with murder.

It is also alleged that Rogers, knowing that Rawlins and the others murdered Zaheer Zakir, Shane Fredericks, Ron Osborn, Dexter Adrian, Orvin Ferreira, Abdool Yassin Jr., Deonarine Singh, Errol Thomas, Ronald Gomes, Edwin Gilkes, Ashraf Alli Khan and Baldeo Singh on February 17 at Bartica, received, relieved, comforted, assisted and maintained them.

However, yesterday, during his court appearance, the magistrate, before reading the charge to Rogers, informed him that the accessory charge which was read to him the previous day had been withdrawn and that a new charge will be instituted.

The new charge read to Rogers stated that, at Christmas Falls in the Berbice River, he, between April 22 and June 2 last, knowing Rondell Rawlins, called ‘Fine Man’; Cecil Simon Ramcharran, called ‘Uncle’ or ‘Magic’; Robin Chung, called ‘Chung Boy’; Mark Royden Williams, called Royden Durant and ‘Smallie’; and Otis Fiffee, called ‘Mud Up’ had killed Zaheer Zakir, Shane Fredericks, Ron Osborn, Dexter Adrian, Orvin Ferreira, Abdool Yassin Jr., Deonarine Singh, Errol Thomas, Ronald Gomes, Edwin Gilkes, Ashraf Alli Khan and Baldeo Singh on February 17 at Bartica, received, relieved, comforted, assisted and maintained them.

The charge was indictable and Roger was not required to plead. His lawyer, Glenn Hanoman, was forced to seek clarification on the new charge. Hanoman said that, given the fact that this new charge has been read to his client, the Police would have to lead the same evidence in both cases against his client.

In seeking bail for his client, Hanoman told the court that prior to the charges being instituted, Rogers had been reporting to the Police every day and therefore posed no flight risk.

However, bail was refused and the matter transferred to the Kwakwani Magistrates Court for July 18.