Death-row inmate found guilty of 2008 murder of soldier

Jul 23, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Mark Royden Williams called “Smallie”, who is on death row for killing 12 persons during the massacre in Bartica, Region Seven, was on Friday found guilty of the 2008 murder of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) member, Corporal Ivor Williams.

On death row, Mark Royden Williams

Williams had denied fatally shooting the corporal on the night of January 23, 2008, during an armed confrontation between members of the GDF and gunmen at Buxton, East Coast Demerara.

Williams was on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member jury in the Demerara High Court. The State was represented by Taneisha Saygon, Abigail Gibbs and Muntaz Ali, while Williams was represented by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes in association with others.

On Friday, Justice Kissoon first summed up the evidence and addressed the jurors before they were sent to deliberate. Following an almost two hour long deliberation, the jury returned with a guilty verdict. As such, Justice Kissoon ordered that a probation report be prepared in favour of Williams. His sentencing is set for September 1, 2022,

In April 2021, a jury found Williams not guilty of a double murder, which occurred in December 2007 at Triumph, ECD. Michael Caesar, called “Capone”, was in fact sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter for the said double murder.

In February 2019, Williams and Sherwin Nero, also known as ‘Catty’, were found not guilty of the August 30, 2007 murder of businessman, Kumar Singh called “Mango Man”.

In May 2018, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) restored the 2013 acquittals of Williams and James Anthony Hyles for their alleged involvement in what has been dubbed the ‘Lusignan Massacre’, despite substantial procedural errors at trial.

In 2017, a jury found Williams and Dennis “Anaconda” Williams guilty for the 2008 Bartica Massacre, which left 12 persons, including three policemen dead. The men were sentenced to death for that crime. However, they filed an appeal against the conviction and sentence – the case is yet to come up for hearing at the Guyana Court of Appeal.

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