Bartica massacre convict Mark Royden Williams was yesterday read the death sentence on an additional count of murder.
Williams, called “Smallie,” was last Thursday convicted for eight of the 12 murders committed during the February 17, 2008 massacre.
After the verdicts were announced by the jury foreman, however, the court recorded seven murder convictions, and five manslaughter convictions. The state had, however, advanced that the court’s record was inaccurate, while arguing that the jury had actually convicted Williams for eight counts of murder and four counts of manslaughter.
Justice Roxane George SC, who presided over the trial, had resultantly deferred Williams’ sentencing on the lesser offences to yesterday afternoon, while saying that she first wanted to review the transcript of the announcement of the verdicts.
At yesterday’s hearing, the judge said that after reviewing the transcript, it was found that the prosecution was correct as Williams had been convicted for eight, and not seven counts of murder.
In the circumstances, Justice George read the death penalty for the additional count against an expressionless Williams.
Thereafter, life sentences were imposed upon him for each of the four counts of manslaughter, which the court said will run concurrently.
Co-convict Dennis Williams, called ‘Anaconda,’ was also sentenced to death by hanging last Thursday.
The 12-member mixed jury convicted him on seven of the twelve counts of murder in the massacre.
He too, was sentenced to life imprisonment for each of the other five killings for which the jury also convicted him on the lesser count of manslaughter. His sentences will also run concurrently.
Meanwhile, former co-accused Roger Simon, called “Goat Man,” was acquitted on all 12 counts of murder and was also found not guilty of manslaughter.
He was granted his release on a total of $900,000 bail for additional charges of terrorism, break and enter and larceny, and unlawful wounding, all stemming from the massacre as well.
As she had said when passing sentence on Dennis, Justice George yesterday again reiterated that the court found no mitigating circumstances to consider in favour of Mark Royden.
The judge said the evidence showed that they both clearly participated in a joint-enterprise, with the gang led by the now deceased “Fine Man” Rawlins that launched the murderous attack at Bartica.
The judge noted too that the attack was one which “rocked the nation” for a second time as the Lusignan massacre, which claimed the lives of 11 persons, including five children, took place mere weeks before.
Justice George said that there was callous disregard for human life, “which caused panic and terror in our nation.”
She said that the nature and gravity of the crime, coupled with the exceptional trauma it caused among citizens, warranted the imposition of the death penalty.
“The punishment has to be commensurate with the offence,” the judge firmly stressed.
Those who lost their lives in the murderous rampage were police officers Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne; and civilians Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas, and Baldeo Singh.
After three months of testimony from just under 40 witnesses, the trial ended last Thursday with the announcement of the jury’s verdict at some minutes after 11 that night.
Next Friday is the ninth anniversary of the massacre.
