Bartica massacre convict for trial over 2008 murder of soldier

Mark Royden Williams, who is currently serving a death sentence for the killing of 12 persons at Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) in 2008, will go on trial next Monday, June 27 for the murder of a soldier which also occurred during that year.

Williams, also known as, ‘Smallie’ was indicted on Wednesday for the January 23, 2008 murder of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) member, Ivor Williams which occurred at Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The murder accused, who pleaded not guilty to the charge is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, while Senior State Counsel Lisa Cave is appearing on behalf of the prosecution.

Reports are that around 20:30h on the day in question, several armed men ambushed a GDF vehicle returning to Camp Ayanganna in Georgetown from an administrative duty in Berbice.

According to reports, the gunmen engaged the soldiers in a shoot-out during which Williams was fatally shot and two others, a soldier and a Friendship, ECD woman, were injured.

In 2017, Williams and another man, Dennis Williams called ‘Anaconda’ were sentenced to death after they were found guilty by a 12-member jury of murdering 12 persons including three Police ranks during the 2008 Bartica massacre.

Those killed were Police officers Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir; and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne; and civilians Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira,  Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Deonarine Singh,  Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas, and Baldeo Singh.

The men have since appealed their conviction and sentence to the Guyana Court of Appeal.