–recount what transpired that fatal night

CORPORAL Osborne Paul on Wednesday recalled what transpired on the night of February 17, 2008 when gunmen stormed the Bartica Police Station as the trial into the Bartica Massacre continued before Justice Roxane George and a 12-member jury.Paul, who was then a Constable, told the court that on the night in question, he was in the Barrack Room with Lance Corporals Cush and Zakir, and Constables Fredericks, Hendricks, Benjamin and Persaud, watching the 20/20 cricket match on television, when suddenly he heard loud explosions which sounded like gunshots.

Soon after, he said he heard someone say, “Hit the floor! Take cover!” He vividly recalls that it was around 21:40hrs when this happened.
Not waiting to be told twice, Paul said he immediately lay flat on his belly and crawled towards the kitchen area. But on his way there, he saw a bed in the Dining Hall and sought refuge under it.

From that vantage point, Paul said he saw two persons dressed in military fatigues and carrying long guns standing in front of the kitchen door.

And while he couldn’t recognise their faces, he distinctly heard what sounded like gunshots, again coming from the direction of the barracks, and lasting for about a minute this time around.

When he thought that the coast was clear, he came out of hiding and ran to the Inspector’s Quarters at the top floor of the Station where he met Inspector Sutton. As they stood there contemplating their next move, they heard the Police Land Rover drive off.

NOT 10 MINUTES

It wasn’t gone 10 minutes, when they heard the said Land Rover return, and from all appearances, it came from the direction of the Bartica Stelling. Again, Paul took cover under the bed in the Dining Hall, and from there he heard what sounded like gunshots; and this time around, the fusillade lasted about three minutes.

And like before, when he thought that the coast was clear, Paul said he came out of hiding and ran out of the building, using the back stairway. But as he made for the back gate, he saw a motionless Constable Ron Osborne holding onto the said gate with what appeared to be blood oozing from his body.

Running back into the building, Paul said he made for the kitchen area, but saw Constable Fredericks lying there, face down in what appeared to be a pool of blood. And he, too, was motionless.

Paul said he next saw Lance Corporal Zakir in a sitting position behind a cupboard, with what appeared to be blood oozing from the left side of his head. He immediately ran out of the building.

The second witness to take the stand on Wednesday was Corporal Carl Jacobs, who retired five years ago, but was rehired in 2008 to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in ‘F’ Division.

He testified that on February 19, 20 and 22 of that year, he witnessed the post mortems of Corporal Zakir, Constables Fredericks, Osborne, Khan, Yasseen, Thomas, Singh, Baldeo, Dexter Adrian, Ferreira, Gilkes, and Gomes which were performed by Dr. Nehaul Singh.

Jacobs told the court that he uplifted the post mortem reports from Dr. Singh and took them to the Bartica Police Station where they were lodged and later tendered in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

An application was made by State Prosecutor Stacy Goodings after Jacobs was able to identify the post mortem reports by his and Dr. Singh’s signatures which were affixed to it after which they were marked, tendered and admitted as evidence in the trial.
TUESDAY’S HEARING

At Tuesday’s hearing, those taking to the stand were Prison Officer Godfrey Leitch and Police witness, Rodwell Sarrabo.

The latter, under cross-examination by Defence Counsel Roger Yearwood, told the court that all he knew of the matter was that he handed over keys of the Police Land Rover involved in the incident to former Regional Chairman, Mr Holbert Knights. “That’s all I did,” Sarrabo said.

Prison Warder Leitch, on the other hand, began by telling the court, when led by State Prosecutor Stacy Goodings, that he is still stationed at the Mazaruni Prison as he was back in 2008 when the massacre occurred.

He recalled that around 21:30hrs on the night in question, he was at a wake at his “in-laws” on Fifth Avenue; a street in Bartica, when he decided he wanted to buy something on First Avenue.

Leitch said that as he was approaching First Avenue, he met a man who, though he was dressed in civilian clothing, had on a bullet proof vest, and was carrying a long gun. So, when he told him to lie on the ground, he did not hesitate.

He told the court that while on the ground, he happened to raise his head and saw the man’s face. To his surprise, they both recognised each other, but that’s as far as they got, as the next thing they both knew was that there were gunshots, and a female voice telling them “something”.

Leitch said that at that point, he and his assailant ran to the woman’s rescue, and found that she’d been shot in the right leg.

They both helped her get into a car, which was abandoned nearby, and the man drove her to a taxi service in the area.

Leitch said he then went over to the Banks DIH building where he saw two bodies lying on the ground, and met one Constable Campbell, and together they went to the Bartica Police Station.

While there, the witness said, he saw a vehicle headed at high speed, towards the Bartica Stelling, and soon after heard gunshots coming from that direction.

Shortly thereafter, Leitch said that someone came into the station and told him ‘something’ which caused him to go to Bartica Stelling where he observed six bodies lying at the edge of the wharf.

He pointed out that he went out to the road to get a taxi, and heard voices coming from upstairs the police station and he was told something.

Leitch said he went to the back of the station yard, where he saw Constable Ron Osborne’s motionless body, and the Police Land Rover parked, with the engine running not far off.

He told the court that on seeing the vehicle, he got into it and headed for the Bartica Stelling, succeeding in the process to break open the police station’s gate even though it was padlocked.

Leitch said that on arrival at the stelling, he observed that of the six bodies lying there, one was still breathing, even though the man’s skull was cracked open, and his brain “pumping”.
And with the help of an unknown person, the witness said, he placed the body in the Police Land Rover and took it to the Bartica Hospital to seek medical attention.

The trial continues today at 09:00hrs.