Bartica massacre…
THE five men charged with slaying the 12 victims of the February 2008 Bartica massacre made another Court appearance in Georgetown yesterday, when their cases were postponed to January 11, 2011. The accused, all handcuffed and feet shackled, appeared before Magistrate Fazil Azeez, with attorney-at-law Mr. K. Juman-Yassin appearing as State Prosecutor.
The preliminary inquiry (PI) continued in Court Three, with accused Mark Royden Williams also known as Royden Durant and ‘Smallie’, Clebert Reece alias ‘Chi Chi’, of Lot 63 Barr Street, Albouystown, Dennis Williams also known as ‘Anaconda’, of Lot 35 Waterloo Street, also in Georgetown, Michael Preston Caesar also known as Deon Curt alias ‘Capone’ and 49-year-old Roger Simon (no addresses given). 
One Prosecution witness, Carl Methuram testified yesterday and Juman-Yassin disclosed that about 15 persons gave evidence, so far, with another eight to be called.
The magistrate read letters from different lawyers representing the prisoners, excusing their absence from Court but he urged the men in the dock to ensure their counsel are present on the next occasion, so that the case can move forward and not be postponed for frivolous reasons.
No cross-examination was done yesterday as the accused preferred it to be done by their lawyers when present.
Magistrate Azeez wished the remanded prisoner “the very best for Christmas and the New Year” as they departed the courtroom neatly dressed.
Those killed when a gang rampaged through Bartica were nine civilians, Edwin Gilkes, Irving Ferreira, Ronald Gomes, Baldeo Singh, Dexter Adrian, Deonarine Singh, Abdool Yassin, Ashraf Khan and Errol Thomas and three policemen, Ron Osborne, Zaheer Zakir and Shane Fredericks.