At the resumption of the Bartica massacre trial at the High Court in Georgetown, Superintendent of Police Trevor Reid on Tuesday testified to writing the caution statement of murder accused Dennis Williams who reportedly admitted to being part of the heinous 2008 Bartica massacre.
The senior Police rank, who is currently attached to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), was then a Sergeant of Police at the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in 2008. Reid recalled that on November 8, 2008, at the CID, junior rank Corporal Singh and another Police rank, Sergeant Sarabo, accompanied murder accused Dennis ‘Anaconda’ Williams to Reid’s office where the murder allegations were put to him and he agreed for then Sergeant Reid to write his statement. The 12-member jury heard that Williams was offered a seat and was told of his right to contact a friend, relative or lawyer present. Reid told the court that the murder accused was told of the Bartica massacre allegations after which Williams reportedly expressed to the Police rank: “Big man, I gon tell yo wah happen.”
Reid told the 12-member jury that after the statement was completed, Williams looked at it as if he was reading, said he understood and signed, with Sergeant Sarabo later signing as a witness. According to the caution statement, it was suggested that Williams and Celbert “Chi-Chi” Reece were in the boat throughout the duration of brutal slayings and that they heard the gunshots which lasted “for about 20 minutes”.
“Big man, me and Chi-Chi left wid the boat from the back ah the wharf at Kinston,” the statement noted. The caution statement further disclosed that Dennis Williams witnessed five or six men, who were armed with “nuff big guns”, shoot 5 men at the Bartica Stelling and noted that they also came back to the boat with two big canisters. According to the caution statement, Williams also claimed that he never saw the armed men before and further noted that Chi-Chi was the boat driver and that there was some engine trouble which Chi-Chi had to fix.
Williams was said to have confessed that after the boat was driven up the river side, it was abandoned but the canisters and guns were retained and taken into “the bush”.
“Me spend de night and the next morning, me and Chi-Chi beat out and we come to town. Two days after me go up back deh and me meet Chi-Chi back at de camp wid them man… me collect me gold and the same day, me beat out to town,” Williams’ signed confession statement further noted.
Williams added that he was given 3 ounces of raw gold by Chi-Chi. According to the statement, the murder accused claimed that he sold the gold underneath the clock at “big market” to a man who gave him G$200,000 cash. The jury heard that from this payment, Williams purchased clothes, some of the money was spent on food “and other things”.
“Fine man and them man… ah Chi-Chi people. This is the truth big man. Me nah kill nobody, me nah had no gun. Them gee me the gold because me see wah happen. This ah the truth big man. Me vex about the whole itation,” Williams’ caution statement added.
Under cross-examination, Defence Attorney for Denis Williams, Shapheir Husain, suggested that Reid and his junior ranks shocked, kicked and slapped the accused, thereby forcing him to sign the confession statement. These assertions were however rejected by the Police witness.
Dennis “Anaconda” Williams, along with Mark Williams and Roger Simon are the three standing trial for the brutal February 2008 slayings which claimed the lives of twelve persons, including three Policemen and nine civilians. Celbert ‘Chi-Chi’ Reece, who pled guilty to manslaughter, was last month sentenced to 420 years imprisonment, and co-accused Michael Caesar who also pled guilty, will know his fate December 16.
Meanwhile, the trial of the three accused continues on Friday.
