The start of Thursday’s morning session of the Bartica Massacre trial in the High Court before Justice Roxane George SC and a 12-member jury, was delayed as one of the three accused refused to attend court despite intervention by members of the Guyana Prisons Service.Justice George SC told the court that a situation has developed and asked Chief Prison Officer Roddy Denheart to explain what happened.

He told the court that Dennis Williams was informed that he has to attend court on Thursday and indicated that he is not coming and refused to come out of his cell and get dressed despite efforts to persuade him.

Williams on Wednesday had discharged his attorney Saphier Hussain.

But Justice George SC told the court that she has decided after conferring with the Chief Justice that Hussain continue to represent Williams as a State assigned attorney given the fact that the accused is not present in court to speak for himself.

The judge added that if Williams does not want to attend court for the trial, he cannot be forced or compelled to do so, and as such, the proceedings went on as per norm after hours of delay.

At this point, Hussain said he is appearing under protest but had no choice given the judge’s decision after which he called two witnesses for the defence.

Roger Simon called “Goat Man” in leading his defence, elected to remain in the prisoner’s box and narrated a story.

He began by greetings the court after which he said, “Meh Worship meh in jail for eight years and nine months punishing for something I know nothing about.”

Simon added that on February 17, 2008, he was working in the interior at Corn Field, 14 Miles Potaro, on a land dredge which was owned by Brian Chase.

NOWHERE NEAR

He said, “I, Roger Simon better known as ‘Goat Man’ was nowhere near Bartica on the night on February 17, 2008.”

Simon told the court that on February 18, 2008, at about 03:30 hrs, a man came to the camp on a four wheel bike and called out the dredge owner, Brian Chase and they had a conversation after which he was told there was a “big” shooting in Bartica and he decided to leave the backdam and go to his family there.

However, on April 8, 2008, he was in McKenzie, Linden, liming with a friend when he was picked up by the police after a woman, who was robbed gave a description to the cops matching his.

He was taken by four policemen to the station and grilled about the Bartica Massacre and a week later while still in the lockups he was again questioned about the incident and told the cops he knew nothing about it.

Simon said he was taken to the CID Headquarters and further questioned about his involvement in the Bartica Massacre, then taken to Brickdam lockups and the next day was transported to Eve Leary once again and grilled even more.

He related that he was then placed on an identification parade, wearing the same clothes he had on when he was arrested and placed in the lockups at McKenzie Police Station.

He was subsequently taken to the then Crime Chief’s office and was told he has to attend court because he was picked out in the identification parade.

At court, he saw for the first time the four others who were jointly charged with him and ever since he has been in jail, Simon said.
‘GO AHEAD’

Chief Prison Officer Roddy Denheart told the court during the afternoon session of the trial that his superior went to Dennis Williams and again spoke to him about his attendance but he stood his ground and refused but send a message to the judge “to go ahead and try the case”.

Brian Chase was called by Simon’s lawyer Peter Hugh to testify on behalf of the defence.

Chase, the owner of mining, trucking and security service businesses said he has been in the profession of mining for 32 years, and in February 2008, he was mining at Kaburi Backdam, District Three, at a place called “Corn Field”.

He said he knows Simon for more than 15 years, but he worked for him for the first time in February 2008, at his mining camp where he had in his employ nine men.

Chase told the court on February 17, 2008, he got a message for Simon from a man who came to the camp, and as such, he relayed the message to him after which he left the backdam for his home.

And after sometime he heard Simon was held for the Bartica Massacre and he and a team of miners, shop owners and transportation operators subsequently visited the Bartica Police Station and gave a statement to the police as it regards to the whereabouts of Simon on the night in question.