MARK Royden Williams called “Smallie” one of three accused on trial for the Bartica massacre on Thursday elected to remain in the prisoner’s box when he was asked by Justice Roxane George SC to lead his defence in the High Court before a 12-member jury.

Williams said he was never in Bartica on the night in question, since he was at the home of his cousin, Sheldon Williams, the same place he was arrested by the police on June 15, 2008.

He related that at the time he was told he was wanted in relation to an ‘incident’ which was unrelated to the Bartica Massacre and was never charged for the Bartica incident until May 2009.

Williams added that the night before he was arrested he was watching television at his cousin’s place, then he saw something came up about the Bartica incident. Then he woke up his cousin and told him something and together they watched the television. Williams said, “I was not there in Bartica, I am innocent, that’s all your Honour.”

His attorney Roger Yearwood said he has two witnesses to call and his first witness, Sheldon Williams, cousin of Mark Royden Williams took the stand to testify on Thursday.

When led by Yearwood, Sheldon told the court that he resides at Lot 704 Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, the same place he lived in 2008 when police surrounded his house and arrested him and his cousin. The taxi driver noted that he quit the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in 2004 after which he started to drive bus.

He recalled that he was in bed when he heard about the Bartica incident when his cousin told him something about the incident and he got out of bed and saw what was going on via the television. At this point in the trial he tried to hold back tears as he stood in the witness box on Thursday. Sheldon told the court that when he looked at the television he felt a lot of pain and returned to bed and knew his cousin since they were children growing up they used to call him “Zero”.

He pointed out that he was praying at home in June 2008 when his cousin told him something and he went to his verandah and saw that the police had circled his house after which a search was carried out of his house, his backyard, and the septic tank but nothing incriminating was found. Sheldon added that he was handcuffed and taken to Sparendaam Police Station and later charged with harbouring a wanted person and was told that his cousin was wanted by the police.

But the matter was eventually dismissed. He said he knew Williams has been in prison for the longest while and heard he was charged for the Bartica incident.

He stated that he did not go to the police because he had children to mind and at that time a lot of things were happening to his colleagues in the Force and he was scared. Sheldon told the court that he had worked with two of the three policemen killed in the slaughter, referring to Shane Fredericks as a ‘father’ to him and Zaheer Zakir as a ‘brother’.

He said when he learnt that the ranks were killed he was saddened. Yearwood asked Sheldon if he was in court to cover for his cousin and he said he was not. Cross examination was declined by both Peter Hugh and Saphier Hussain.

State Prosecutor Stacy Goodings in cross examination enquired from Sheldon, how long he knew his cousin, Mark Royden Williams and he said since they were children and he overheard that he used to live in Manchester, Corentyne, Berbice where he used to sell genips. He said in 2008 his cousin used to stay by him. Sheldon age 40 was a policeman for nine years, but was dismissed in 2004 for being frequently absent from work. He however could not recall the regulation numbers for his so-called ‘squaddies’ Fredericks and Zakir, who were killed in the Bartica incident.

It was suggested to Sheldon by Goodings that at the time he was arrested if he considered that incident a serious occurrence and he agreed.

When grilled as to why he did not give a statement to the police as it relates to his cousin’s whereabouts on the night in question he said he was scared then and still is. Goodings asked Sheldon if he was interdicted from the Force and he said he wasn’t but was dismissed in 2004 when he kept sending in sick leave.

She questioned him if he was ill at the time and he answered in the negative. Sheldon could not recall when he was arrested by the police at his home when asked by Goodings on Thursday, stating that “too much things” happened and it was then put to him as an older cousin, he is present in court to help his relative and he said he was not. He agreed though that he would like to see his cousin get out of prison but could not say if Williams was living in Buxton in 2008 and was asked whether his story was untrue and he said no.

Several times during his testimony he hyperventilated and appeared as though he was crying, wiping his eyes with a tissue, after which he took a few minutes to compose himself.

Meanwhile, Justice Roxane George SC on Thursday over-ruled the no-case submission made by Defence Counsel Peter Hugh in favour of his client Roger Simon called “Goat Man”. As such he will be called to lead his defence next week. Justice George also overruled submissions made by Defence Counsel Saphier Hussain on Wednesday following a voir dire.

Bartica Massacre
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’ lawyer is Saphier Hussain and Roger Simon’s attorney is 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; 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 and 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.
The state is being represented by Diana Kaulesar and Stacy Goodings.