— ‘Goat Man’ on $500,000 bail for terrorism charge

JUSTICE Roxanne George SC on Friday sentenced Denis “Anaconda” Williams to life imprisonment for his role in the Bartica Massacre while Roger “Goat Man” Simon was granted bail in the sum of $500,000 for a second terrorism charge.On Thursday night, a 12-member jury returned a guilty verdict for Williams for seven counts of murder and he was sentenced to be hanged.

On Friday, Justice George told the court that Williams was been found guilty of five counts of manslaughter in relation to the massacre where five persons were shot and killed at the Bartica Stelling.

The other murder accused Clebert ‘Chi-Chi’ Reece had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 35 years in jail for each of the 12 counts, while Michael ‘Capone’ Caesar, who also pleaded guilty to manslaughter was sentenced to 60 years in prison on each of the 12 counts which will run concurrently.

Justice George said the evidence is clear that Williams was part of the joint enterprise which carried out the gruesome act.

Roger Simon had on Thursday night received bail in the sum of $400,000 for one count of unlawful wounding and three counts of break and enter and larceny after the jury found him not guilty on 12 counts of murder.

Simon’s attorney, Peter Hugh, told the court that his client was acquitted on all counts of murder on Thursday night and should be granted bail since he spent almost nine years in jail.

State Prosecutor Diana Kaulesar had indicated her intention to appeal Simon’s not guilty verdict, but Hugh argued that his client spent almost a decade in jail and should be granted bail, given that the charge of terrorism is a bailable offence.

However, Kaulesar in response, told the court that the Act is silent on whether the offence is bailable and urged that bail not be granted, but if granted, it should not be less than $1M.

Following the arguments, Justice George ruled that Simon was “free to go” and granted him bail in the sum of $500,000.

But Hugh told the court that his client had spent a considerable time in jail, and as such, has limited resources and requested surety instead. Same was granted but providing a transport is presented to the court.

Meanwhile, the sentencing for Mark Royden Williams for the counts of manslaughter was deferred to February 16, 2017.

Williams was also sentenced to death by hanging for seven counts of murder on Thursday night.

On February 17, 2008, residents were engrossed in a televised 20/20 cricket match when a group of heavily armed men descended on Bartica at nightfall and went on a rampage.

They arrived by boat, and soon after attacked the Bartica Police Station, where they carted off with guns after killing three policemen. Nine civilians were killed in the massacre.

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; Errol Thomas of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo and Baldeo Singh of Montrose, East Coast Demerara.