AS the Bartica Massacre trial continued in the High Court on Friday before Justice Roxane George and a 12-member jury, Attorney Kalam Juman-Yassin, who was appointed the Special Prosecutor in the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) in the Magistrates Court in the matter, testified, reading from the depositions of the two deceased police officers, who had given evidence then.Juman-Yassin told the court that after the PI before the then Magistrate Fazil Azeez, a prima facie case was made out against the accused persons; as such, the matter was sent to the High Court for trial.

An application was then made by the state prosecutor for the depositions to be shown to Juman-Yassin, who said he recognised it by the signature of the then Magistrate Fazil Azeez, who has been his friend for many years.

They have been around each other a lot and Juman-Yassin related that he is familiar with the handwriting and signatures of the witnesses, Leroy Alexander and Gerald Nieunkirk.

The depositions were then admitted and tendered as evidence in the trial, then Juman-Yassin read the depositions of Leroy Alexander, which stated that on February 18, 2008, about 21:30hrs, he was in his room, which is located six houses away from the Bartica Police Station and was watching cricket when suddenly he heard gunshots ringing out.

He went outside to see what was happening and saw persons running, after which he tried to make contact with the station, but could not.

Alexander then contacted Corporal Winter by cellphone and he told him ‘something’ and they met and decided to stay away from the Bartica Police Station and the gunshots continued for half an hour.

They then visited the station and observed that the safes and cupboards storing the force’s arms and ammunition had been broken into and the arms and ammunition were missing and there were holes in the doors and walls of the building.

Inspector Alexander and Corporal Winter went into the yard and saw Ron Osborne, clad in his uniform, lying motionless by the gate, after which they went into the barrack room and with the aid of a torch light observed cops Zaheer Zakir and Shane Fredericks, both of whom appeared to be dead.

Alexander picked up spent shells and live rounds and placed them in evidence bags, while Corporal Winter photographed the scene.

They then went in front of the station and saw the force’s land rover parked there with a rifle and spent shells inside.

Acting on information, they then went to the Bartica stelling where they saw five men lying motionless on the wharf with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the back of their heads.

Inspector Alexander and Corporal Winter then went to the home of Chunilall Baboolall at 67 First Avenue, entered the two-storey house and saw the watchman Irving Ferreira lying near a freezer. He appeared to be dead.

Spent shells were picked up by Alexander and on their way out they saw motorcar HA 4792 with the windscreen shattered, parked in front the house and the body of Dexter Adrian was slumped over the steering wheel.

They then went to the home of Gurudat Singh and observed three windows on the lower flat shattered and there were holes in the walls, a door was damaged and the room had been ransacked.

Spent shells and one live round were picked up and bagged.

RIDDLED WITH BULLETS

Alexander and Winter then went to Banks DIH on First Avenue and observed that the building was riddled with bullets and blood was in the compound.

The duo then received some information and went to the Bartica Hospital where they saw security guard Edwin Gilkes lying motionless on a bed and appeared to be dead.

Alexander and Winter also saw Lisa Narine and Melrose Allicock, both of whom had gunshot wounds.

A team from the city arrived and examined the scene, after which 10 envelopes which contained the spent shells and live rounds recovered from the crime scenes were sealed and marked by Alexander.

Reading from the deposition of Gerald Nieunkirk, Attorney-at-law Juman-Yassin said the Inspector of Police conducted an identification parade which was held at CID Eve Leary, in which Roger Simon called “Goat Man” was a participant.

He was among seven men of similar features and height and he was picked out by the witness. He was informed of such and that was the only part Nieunkirk played in the matter.

On trial are Mark Royden Williams called “Smallie”, Dennis Williams called “Anaconda” and Roger Simon called “Goat Man,” each indicted on 12 counts for the murder of nine civilians and three policemen at Bartica on February 17, 2008.

However, two of the five accused, Michael Caesar and Clebert Reece have since pleaded guilty to manslaughter separately and have been sentenced.

Mark Royden Williams is being represented by Roger Yearwood, Dennis Williams’ lawyer is Saphier Hussain and Roger 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 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 and Errol Thomas of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo; and Baldeo Singh of Montrose, East Coast Demerara.

Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins, according to the police, had 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 the investigation.