—Defence to make submissions today, without jury

THE state on Tuesday closed its case in the Bartica Massacre trial, which began in the High Court before Justice Roxane George SC and a 12-member jury in November 2016.

State prosecutors Diana Kaulesar and Stacy Goodings led more than a dozen witnesses, including the police, who testified during the months of the trial.

The trial will continue today, with the defence slated to make submissions without the jury being present in the courtroom.

One police witness was recalled for cross-examination last Wednesday and another witness testified before the state closed its case on Tuesday afternoon.

On trial are Mark Royden Williams called “Smallie”, Dennis Williams called “Anaconda” and Roger Simon called “Goat Man”, each indicted for 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 plead guilty to manslaughter separately and have been sentenced.

Mark Royden Williams is being represented by Roger Yearwood, Dennis Williams by Saphier Hussain, and Roger Simon by Peter Hugh.

During the February 17, 2008 rampage, 12 persons 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; Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne, who were all stationed at Bartica; Deonarine Singh of Wakenaam; Ronald Gomes of Kuru Kururu; Ashraf Khan of Middlesex, Essequibo; Abdool Yasseen and Errol Thomas of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo; and Baldeo Singh of Montrose, East Coast Demerara.