“Smallie” on trial for 2007 double murder

Fourteen years after he allegedly shot and killed two men at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, Mark Royden Williams is presently on trial for the crime before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court. Also known as “Smallie”, Williams is accused of the December 16, 2007 murders of 35-year-old Rajesh Singh and 25-year-old Fazil Hakim.

Following his arraignment before the judge on Monday, Williams, a convicted killer on death row, pleaded not guilty to the murder charges. He is being represented by Attorneys-at-law Nigel Hughes and Ronald Daniels, while the case for the prosecution is being presented by State Counsel Lisa Cave and State Counsel Tyra Bakker. The trial is set to continue on Wednesday.

According to reports, Singh of Martyr’s Ville, East Coast Demerara, and Hakim of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, were shot and killed while they were drinking liquor at a shop in Mon Repos. Based on reports, on the day in question, three gunmen, who were clad in military fatigues invaded the shop and began shooting indiscriminately.

In the end, Hakim and Singh laid motionless in a pool of blood.

They were subsequently rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Their cause of death was given and shock and haemorrhage due to multiple gunshot wounds. In 2017, Williams and another man were sentenced to death by hanging in relation to the murders of 12 persons, including three police ranks during the 2008 Bartica massacre.