Bartica massacre crew committed Triumph’s double murder

Apr 23, 2021 News

– “I was just the lookout man”- accused admits in statement

Kaieteur News – Police witnesses testifying in the trial of murder convict, Mark Royden Williams called ‘Durant’ or ‘Smallie,’ have so far tendered a Caution Statement (CS) in which he admitted being the lookout man for the notorious Bartica massacre crew as they robbed and murdered two men at Triumph, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Mark Royden Williams called ‘Durant’ or ‘Smallie’

Williams who was convicted and is serving time in prison for the 2008 Bartica massacre, is facing yet another trial at the Georgetown High Court for the double murder. The case is being heard virtually at the High Court in Georgetown.
The accused stands indicted before Justice, Sandil Kissoon, and a mixed 12- member jury for allegedly murdering 35-year-old Rajesh Singh and 25-year-old Fazil Hakim at Lot 82 Agriculture Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara, on December 16, 2007.
A number of witnesses have testified in the trial including Detective Inspector of Police Suraj Singh; Police Sergeant Rodwell Sarabo and defence witness, Michael Caesar who was jointly charged with Williams for the murders.
Caesar is currently serving time in prison after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter for the crime at a previous criminal hearing for the case.
Caesar was called to testify on Williams’ behalf yesterday after State Prosecutors, Lisa Cave and Tyra Bakker, called their final witness and closed their case. He told the court that although he was charged alongside Williams for the crime; Williams was not there when the act was committed.
His testimony is in conflict of a CS which was previously tendered in court on behalf of Williams, who had allegedly admitted to police investigators that he was present with the Bartica massacre men when they shot and killed Singh and Hakim during a robbery at a shop at Triumph, ECD.
According to the statement, while Williams admitted to being there, he said he did not do the actual shooting; he was just the lookout man. The CS added too that Williams said that he was not armed with any gun, he only had a cutlass.
Defence lawyer, Nigel Hughes, however took the police witnesses to task over the statement essentially challenging the credibility of the information contained in the document.
Hughes put several questions to the Officers Singh and Sarabo, as to whether his client faced any form of intimidation or threat while giving the statement. The lawyer asked specifically if his client had been shackled, beaten or faced any form of violence at the time he was giving the statement. Both officers denied the suggestions.
They claimed instead that the statement was freely and voluntarily given to them by Williams who admitted that he was present when the crew swooped down on Hakim and Singh and another man who were consuming alcohol at a shop in the village. The officers’ testimonies followed that of State Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, who gave the cause of death of the two men as shock and haemorrhage due to multiple gunshot wounds.
At the time of his demise, Hakim called “Boyee,” resided at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, while Singh called “Rabbit,” lived at Martyrs Ville on the East Coast of Demerara.
Police reports had indicated that the men were imbibing at a shop owned by Narendra Mukhram.
Mukhram reportedly went to close the shop when he was confronted by three men who were armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun. One of the gunmen held him at gunpoint and took him to his home next door.
The other two gunmen entered the shop and one of them ordered the three patrons to lie on the ground. When they hesitated, the gunmen opened fire, killing Singh and Hakim.
Over at the house, the armed men held Mukhram’s wife and children at gunpoint and demanded jewellery and cash. According to reports, they handed over $500,000 in jewellery and $300,000 cash to the gunmen.