AS the Bartica Massacre trial continued in open court on Thursday before Justice Roxane George and a 12-member jury, three witnesses testified following a voir dire (a trial within a trial).The first witness, Ingrid Ferreira-Trotman, told the court that on February 20, 2008, she visited the GPHC Mortuary where she identified the body of her uncle, Irving Ignatius Ferreira, called “Packo.”

She related that she witnessed the post-mortem which was conducted by government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh. Ferreira-Trotman when led by State Prosecutor Stacy Goodings, recalled that on February 23, 2008, a funeral service was held for her uncle, after which his body was interred at the Bartica Cemetery. She said her relative was a licensed boat captain but at that time the Bartica Massacre occurred he was working as a security guard attached to Chunilall Baboolall’s called “Vulture” residence at First Avenue, Bartica.

He was one of seven men placed to lie face down on the Bartica Stelling on February 17, 2008 and killed by gunmen, who had descended on the riverine community. The second witness, Zaheer Zakir, testified in the High Court that on February 19, 2008, he went to the GPHC Mortuary where he identified the body of his son, Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, who was attached to the Bartica Police Station.

Zakir said a post-mortem was done and the body was handed over for burial which took place on the following day at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo. The third witness, Faizal Ali, said on February 19, 2008, he went to the GPHC Mortuary where he identified the body of his nephew, Abdool Yasseen, after which a post-mortem was conducted.

He related that the body was then handed over for burial which took place at the Triumph Cemetery, East Coast Demerara, on February 22, 2008. Ali told the court when questioned,that at that time his nephew was a boat captain working his father’s boat when he was murdered. He was one of seven men executed by heavily armed men, who went on a rampage in Bartica on February 17, 2008. There were no questions by defence counsel Roger Yearwood, Saphier Hussain and Peter Hugh on Thursday.

The matter will continue on Monday when several witnesses are expected to testify in the main trial. On February 17, 2008, when residents were engrossed in the 20/20 cricket match being televised, the men went on a rampage having descended on Bartica at nightfall.
The group carted off guns belonging to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) after they had killed three policemen.

The gunmen took the police vehicle and continued their onslaught in Bartica where they killed innocent civilians numbering nine including five men, who were executed at the Bartica Stelling.

Some men who participated in the incident were arrested following an investigation conducted by the police and three of them were seated in the courtroom.

On trial are Mark Royden called “Durant”, Dennis Williams called “Anaconda” and Roger Simon called “Goat Man,” indicted for 12 counts each for the murder of nine civilians and three policemen 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.
However, two of the five accused, Michael Caesar and Clebert Reece have since pleaded guilty to manslaughter separately and will return to the High Court on December 16, 2016 for probation reports, followed by sentencing by Justice Roxane George. Royden is being represented by Roger Yearwood, Williams’ lawyer is Saphier Hussain and Simon’s attorney is Peter Hugh.

During the February 17, 2008 rampage nine civilians and three cops were gunned down by a group of heavily armed men, who had 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 Coast; 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.