ONE OF FIVE accused indicted for the murder of nine civilians and three policemen on February 17, 2008 at Bartica has pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of murder, but guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.This accused made his plea before Justice Roxane George in the Demerara High Court on Monday.

In her opening address, State Prosecutor Diana Kaulesar told the court that on February 17, 2008 at Bartica, the accused Michael Caesar, called “Mikey”, travelled from Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara along with other members of the Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins gang, to Bartica, Essequibo River; and when the boat reached the location, Caesar was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle along with two magazines, and he was dressed in a soldier’s uniform.

Kaulesar stated that Caesar and others left the boat and went to the Bartica Police Station, and within minutes, gunshots could be heard. Sometime after, he returned with others in a vehicle, carrying two chests made of steel, a bullet-proof vest and more guns.

There, she said, ‘Fineman” shot six men who were put to lie on the stelling, after which the gang members re-entered the boat with the items.

The prosecutor told the court that the group joined a jeep and travelled to Linden, where they hid and divided the money and gold. Kaulesar said the accused left the jurisdiction on March 8, 2009, but a police officer travelled to Suriname and brought him back.

Caesar was held at Springlands Police Station and then taken to Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Eve Leary, Georgetown. At CID headquarters, he made a written caution statement which was witnessed by Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum in the presence of a Justice of the Peace.

Kaulesar added that in the caution statement, Caesar admitted, among other things, that three weeks prior to the incident, he was informed that they were going on a “big wuk.” She related that the accused spoke of joining the boat behind Pegasus Hotel and travelling to Nabaclis, where others joined them.

Kaulesar said that with regard to the incident at Bartica, Caesar admitted to shooting “blind, blind” and driving down the road in a police vehicle while licking shots “wild, wild.”

She said Caesar spoke of them getting guns and two canisters. After their escape, he was given $700,000 by “Fineman”, and gold which he sold for $900,000.

Kaulesar told the court that, on March 8, 2009, Caesar was put on an identification parade held by Assistant Superintendent of Police Lord at CID HQ, and it was viewed by Dwayne Williams, who identified Caesar.

She said 12 persons, including three policemen, were killed during the incident, which became known as the ‘Bartica Massacre.’

At the end of the submissions, Justice George asked the accused if he understood what was being said in the court, and he said he did; after which he was told that he would have to return to court on December 16, 2016 at 11:00hrs for sentencing and probation report.

Caesar has two other matters which have not yet been filed, and when he returns to court, he would be sentenced for the 12 counts of manslaughter in addition to the two other matters.

The accused is being represented by attorney Maxwell McKay.

The five accused: Mark Royden, called ‘Durant Williams’; Dennis Williams, aka ‘Anaconda’; Clebert Reece, called ‘Chi-Chi’; Michael Caesar and Roger Simon, allegedly murdered 12 men at Bartica on February 17, 2008.

The five are facing 12 counts of murder, one count of terrorism, one count of unlawful wounding and three counts of break and enter and larceny.

During the February 17, 2008 rampage, nine civilians and three cops were gunned down by a group of heavily armed men who descended on Bartica at nightfall. Those who lost their lives were: Bartica residents Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian and Irving Ferreira; policemen stationed at the Bartica Police Station: Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne; Deonarine Singh of Wakenaam; Ronald Gomes of Kuru-Kururu; Ashraf Khan of Middlesex, Essequibo; Abdool Yasseen; Errol Thomas of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo; and Baldeo Singh of Montrose, East Coast Demerara.

Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins, according to the police, led the gang on the rampage in Bartica, as well as the one that converged on Lusignan on January 26, 2008. Rawlins was killed during a joint services’ operation on August 28, 2008. With his death and the arrest and prosecution of the five suspects, it appeared as though the police had closed their investigation.