The trial of Mark Royden Williams, Dennis Williams, called ‘Anaconda’, and Roger Simon, who are accused of murdering 12 persons, including three police officers at Bartica in 2008, commenced yesterday before Justice Roxane George at the High Court in Georgetown.
The charge against the trio, is that on February 17, 2008 at Bartica; they murdered Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne, Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas, and Baldeo Singh.
They have pleaded not guilty to the capital indictments.
A voir dire which is underway in the trial, is expected to end today.
In her opening address to the jury, prosecutor Diana Kaulesar said that on the night in question, during the airing of a 20/20 cricket match, the three accused, in the company of others, reigned terror at Bartica.
Prosecutor Kaulesar said that the men launched a murderous attack on the community and the Police Station at Bartica, with wanton disregard for human life, which left three police officers dead.
She told the court that during the attack, the accused and their accomplices stole money, guns, ammunition, and other items. The jury heard that the onslaught did not stop there, but that the men also drove along the streets, indiscriminately firing gunshots to the terror of residents.
The prosecutor said that they eventually left the area, but not before killing execution-style five men who were ordered to lie on the ground at the Bartica Stelling and were shot to the back of their heads.
Kaulesar told the court that the three accused were participants of a joint-enterprise. She said that their actions were part of a plan, which they set in motion when they executed the murderous rampage.
The prosecutor urged the jury to be attentive throughout the trial, and to ask questions wherever clarity is needed.
On Monday and Tuesday, respectively, Michael Caesar and Clebert Reece, who were also charged with the 12 capital indictments, pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
Their pleas were accepted by the State. Their sentencing has been deferred to December 16, pending the presentation of their probation reports.
The prosecution is expected to call just under 40 witnesses to the stand.
The trial got underway amidst heightened security, with a barrage of heavily-armed police officers who maintained their presence in and out of the courtroom, around the court complex, and at the entrances to the compound.
The State’s case is being presented by Kaulesar, in association with Stacy Goodings. Meanwhile, defence attorneys Peter Hugh, Saphier Hussain, and Roger Yearwood are representing Simon, Dennis Williams and Mark Williams, respectively.
The attack on the Bartica community came amidst heightened security across the country, following the slaughter of 11 people at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara three weeks earlier.
