Lusignan massacre trial....Accused told arresting officer he had wrong man

Lusignan massacre trial….Accused told arresting officer he had wrong man

Jul 19, 2013 News

By Zena Henry
Superintendent Ravindra Boodram was the first and only witness in yesterday’s hearing of the Lusignan massacre trial. He told the court that he arrested the number one accused, Mark Royden Williams, called ‘Smallie’ on June 15, 2008. At the time, he was the Officer in Charge at the Ruimveldt Police Station. He said when he arrested Williams, the suspect stated that the police were apprehending the wrong man.

Murder accused: James Hyles (left) and Mark Williams being escorted to the courtroom.

Williams is jointly charged with the number two accused, James Anthony Hyles, known as ‘Sally’, for the murder of 11 persons who were shot in their homes at Track ‘A’, Lusignan, on January 26, 2008. The matter is being heard by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court. The state is represented by Senior Prosecutor Judith Gildharie-Mursalin.
Boodram said he was in a vehicle with other officers in Cummings Lodge when they received information. The ranks proceeded to South Cummings Lodge to the home of one Sheldon Williams. There they entered the yard and made contact with the number one accused. They said the allegation of murder was put to him. He was then cautioned and read his rights before being escorted to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Eve Leary.
Boodram said that, after being cautioned, the accused said, “Bigga, yuh get de wrong man”. He later pointed out the accused (Williams), who sat next to his co-accused, facing the well of the court, for identification purposes.
Boodram added, when questioned by Williams’ lawyer, Roger Yearwood, that during the arrest, there were persons in the yard where the accused was apprehended. He said the front door of the house was open and persons could be seen inside the house and on the verandah of the building. Williams was in the house when the officers went to the location, but he was told of the allegation in the yard.
The witness said that no force or threat was used towards the accused. He said the officers were being professional. Boodram said too that Williams did not resist arrest. The officer was then excused when attorney Nigel Hughes, lawyer for the number two accused, refused cross-examination and the prosecution denied re-examination.
The afternoon hours, however, saw Boodram’s return, since Yearwood wanted to ask just a few more questions that would have some impact on another Voir Dire that had commenced in the morning.
Boodram said that the closest police station to Cummings Lodge is at Sparendaam. The accused was not taken to that station after being arrested because the Lusignan matter had engaged the attention of CID, Boodram told the court.
He could not remember telling the police officer at CID’s inquiry desk who the detained man was or what he was apprehended for. He, however, answered that it is not the modus operandi (mode of operation) for a detainee to be handed over without giving his particulars. He said that it is likely that he would have done so.
Cross examination concluded with Boodram stating that Williams, at the time of his arrest, did not complain about being unwell or having injuries.
Yearwood had made an application for a Voir Dire yesterday morning since he was not comfortable with police evidence the prosecution intended to use in the case.
It is the second Voir Dire since the trial commenced on Tuesday. Wednesday’s hearing was taken up by the mini trial. Two separate issues pertaining to evidence were debated on at the time. This type of trial requires that the jury be out of sight. But as the matter fired up and arguments over evidence intensified, the Judge cleared the court room.
The matter will continue today.