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Bartica Massacre trial to begin on October 12

Oct 05, 2016 News

The trial of the five men who were charged and have since been committed to the High Court for the Bartica Massacre, is expected to begin on October 12.
The accused Mark Royden, called Durant or Smallie; Clebert Reece, called Chi Chi or Fineman; Dennis Williams called Anaconda; Michael Caesar, called Deon Cort, and Roger Anthony Simon called Goat Man all appeared before Justice Roxanne George at the High Court yesterday.
The five were accused jointly of killing Edwin Gilkes, Irving Ferreira, Ronald Gomes, Baldeo Singh, Dexter Adrian, Deonarine Singh, Abdool Yassin, Ashraf Khan, and Errol Thomas.
They are also accused of killing three police officers, Ron Osborne, Zaheer Zakir and Shane Fredericks, at the Bartica Police Station on February 17, 2008.
Following the opening of the October Session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes the men appeared before Justice George to face their trial.
However, only two of the accused had attorneys. The other three told the court that they intend to get attorneys even if they are State assigned.
The Judge therefore adjourned the matter to October 12, for the commencement of trial.
The men were committed to stand trial in the High Court after the Police Prosecution was able to build a prima facie case before the presiding Magistrate, Fazil Azeez.
The magistrate said that a total of 37 witnesses, including civilians, were called to give evidence. The matter, prosecuted by Special Prosecutor K. Juman Yassin, was concluded in less than ten months before the men were committed to stand trial in the High Court.
On the night of February 17, 2008, at approximately 21:40 hours some 20 gunmen attacked Bartica, slaughtering one dozen people, including three policemen, during an hour-long strafing.
It was reported that the gunmen attacked the police station first, killing three policemen and freeing prisoners.
They then took the vehicle assigned to the police station and went on a rampage, terrorising the community and murdering nine others. According to reports, the gunmen arrived in the area by boat and departed in similar fashion taking with them firearms they had grabbed from the police station and from a mining company.
Roger Simon, 44, a miner and father of nine who is a resident of the community, was the first person charged with the murders.
Clebert Reece, called ‘Chi-chi’ of Lot 63 Barr Street, Albouystown, a 30-year-old miner who worked in the Cuyuni area, was the second person charged but he made no statement to the court when he appeared before then Magistrate Melissa Robertson.

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