Superintendent of Police Michael Sutton yesterday recounted what he described as the frightening attack on the Bartica Police Station on February 17, 2008, the day when 12 persons were massacred.
Sutton was at the time testifying at the trial of Mark Royden Williams, Dennis Williams, called ‘Anaconda,’ and Roger Simon, who are accused of the murders.
The charge against the trio, who have pleaded not guilty, is that 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.
Sutton recalled completing some work at the station on the night in question, before retiring to his living quarters at the upper flat of the building, where he began watching a 20/20 cricket match on television.
He said that sometime after, he left and went to the washroom, which he accessed through a barrack room. On his way to the washroom, he said he saw Lance Corporals Zakir and Cush along with Constables Fredericks, Hendricks and Paul also watching the game in the barrack room.
He later returned to his quarters and continued watching the game until about 9.40pm, when he heard several explosions, which he suspected to be gunshots, followed by the sound of metal being hit from the lower flat of the station.
As a result, Sutton said that he armed himself with his licensed firearm and was about to leave his room, when he heard the sound of persons running from the barrack room. This, he said, was followed by more gunshots, after which he heard someone say, “let us kill them.” Sutton said that as a result, he went back into his room, turned off the light and stood there.
Just then, Sutton told the court that he again heard someone say, “There are other rooms out there.” He said the suspected gunshots continued and were piercing the walls. The witness said he then immediately sought cover by throwing himself to the ground and he noted that several fragments flew into his face and about his body.
He related to the court that at that point, he heard someone say, “Let’s go.”
He said that there were a few minutes of silence, followed by the starting sound of the police vehicle, which was in the station compound.
Sutton said that at no time during the attack did he look outside and he was asked how he knew that it was the engine of a police vehicle he heard starting.
Prosecutor Diana Kaulesar asked the witness to expound, after which he told the court that at that time in Bartica, it was only the police station which had a land rover. He said that there was no other vehicle like it and that it had a distinctive sound. He said that after the land rover was started, he heard more suspected gunshots, as the vehicle drove off and went deeper into the community.
Sutton said that shortly after, Cush and Constables Paul, Hendricks and Benjamin, who was bleeding from his right side, went to his room and told him something. The Superintendent, who said that he was Second-in-Command at the Bartica Station during 2008, said that based on what the ranks had related to him, he told them to remain in his room. He said he then heard the land rover approaching and then a sound as if the vehicle had collided with an object, which was again followed by more suspected gunshots. The court heard that 10 minutes after, he heard the vehicle driving off in an eastern direction.
From where he was in the building, Sutton said that he could hear several voices and he peeked through his room window overlooking Third Street, which was close to the station, and saw persons assembling.
Aftermath
The witness said that he then decided to venture into the kitchen area, where he saw Constable Fredericks lying motionless on the ground with suspected gunshot wounds to his body. He said he then saw Lance Corporal Zakir, also lying motionless in a sitting position behind a movable cupboard, with a suspected gunshot to his forehead.
Sutton said that in the compound, he then discovered Constable Osbourne, who was fully clad in his uniform, lying also motionless on the ground, with his hands on the gate and what appeared to be blood on his back.
The witness related further that upon checking the enquiries room of the police station, he noticed that the cupboard, in which arms and ammunition were stored, as well as a metal safe, in which revenues and prisoners’ property were kept, to be open.
Sutton said that the padlocks securing them had been broken off. He said that firearms were missing, while the metal safe was ransacked.
The Superintendent said that he immediately reported the matter to his superior, who give him certain instructions.
In response to a question asked by defence attorney Roger Yearwood, Sutton said it was fear that kept him from leaving his room during the attack. He added that he also surmised that it would have been unsafe to do so.
Pressed as to what are the standard police operating procedures, if any, that are to be followed when a station is being attacked, Sutton explained that in such situations, “you are required to defend yourself.”
Asked if there were any other procedures to be followed, the witness said he could not recall.
Testifying yesterday also was Cheryl Hill, who was a Sergeant of Police, attached to the enquiries office at the Bartica Station in 2008.
In her testimony, she recalled then Sergeant Gavin Marshall, before leaving for Georgetown, handing over to her, on February 16, 2008, a record of the guns and ammunition that were in their storage cupboard.
She said the record and her physical check of the cupboard confirmed that there were 6FN rifles with 274 rounds, two .38 US carbines with 120 .38 rounds, two 12-gauge shotguns and 12 matching cartridges, and four .38 service revolvers and 39 .38 rounds and 10 FN magazines, all belonging to the Guyana Police Force.
Additionally, she said that the cupboard also contained two .38 revolvers and 10 rounds, which belonged to Roshan Khan’s Security Services.
Hill said after reporting for duty the following day, the items were also accounted for and secured. She told the court that on the evening, she left the station to perform other duties at the nearby pavilion. At the time, she left, she said she handed over the record of the firearms and ammunition to Constable Zakir and noted that again every item was accounted for and intact.
Hill said that while at the pavilion later that evening, she received a call from someone who told her something.
She said that she did not go back to the station until 4 on the morning of February 18, 2008. Upon arrival, she told the court that she saw what she suspected to be bloody water on the floor.
The witness said too that there were suspected bullet holes on the walls of the station.
She told the court that a check of the arms and ammunition cupboard revealed that the stores were missing. She added that a total of $65,450, which was in the metal safe, was also missing.
Marshall, who also testified, corroborated Hill’s testimony.
The trial, which is being heard by Justice Roxane George and a 12-mmeber jury, continues this morning at 9 at the High Court in Georgetown.
The State is represented by Prosecutor Kaulesar, in association with Stacy Goodings. Meanwhile, defence attorneys Peter Hugh, Saphier Hussain, and Yearwood are representing Simon, Dennis Williams and Mark Williams, respectively.
