Officer in Charge hid in a “safe place” as gunmen attacked Police Station

BY SHEMUEL FANFAIR

Retired Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and former Officer in Charge at the Bartica Police Station, Luis Goulding, took to the witness stand at the Demerara High Court on Wednesday where he testified to hiding in a “safe place” where he retreated after gunshots rang out at the station on the evening of the February 17, 2008. Goulding told the 12-member jury that on that dreadful night, he was walking towards his workplace at about 21:00h when a woman of Amerindian decent made remarks to him and soon after he scurried into the “safe place” not far from the station which he identified to be a house near the Modern Hotel.

He told the jury that the gunshots he heard coming from the direction of the station lasted for about 20 minutes.

Goulding said he contacted two senior ranks via mobile phone and occasionally continued peeping from the house as the events unfolded.

“After the gunshots, I decided to remove from the safe place,” the retired senior officer explained.

The jury then heard that just as Goulding was about to go back onto the road, he saw a vehicle, identified as the Land Rover – with registration plates PKK 162 – belonging to the Police. He testified that there were eight men in the vehicle; two in the front seat, two in the back seat, two were in the tray and the other two were at the bonnet of the vehicle.

He pointed out that as the vehicle approached where he was standing, he retreated to the “safe place” where he could hear the said vehicle turning in the direction of the stelling. The then Officer in Charge said he subsequently came out of hiding some five minutes after the vehicle passed and heard the sound of a speed boat engine. Later on, he heard the boat move off from the Bartica Ferry Stelling.

With the coast clear, Goulding said he went over to the Police Station where he met with second in command, ASP Michael Sutton – who testified at the trial on Tuesday – and other ranks. Goulding told the court that he informed his subordinate ranks that they should stay as they are. The retired ASP also noted that in the upper flat of the Police station, he saw two injured Police ranks; Constables Benjamin and Campbell, who bore marks of what appeared to be blood and gunshot wounds. He further testified that he saw the dead bodies of two Policemen in the kitchen and that of Constable Ron Osborne in the compound downstairs, still with one hand holding on to the gate.

After receiving some information, Goulding explained that he went to the Stelling where five men had been shot dead. He further testified that after Police went to the scene, the bodies were removed and subsequently transported to the Bartica Public Hospital where they were examined by a doctor and medex.

Under cross-examination by Defence Attorneys Roger Yearwood and Shapheir Hussien, Goulding stated that whatever he would have observed on that fateful night, would have been affected as he was traumatised over the events.

After concluding his testimony, presiding Judge Roxanne George announced a two-week court break and adjourned the matter to December 6.

Additionally, Denzil Spencer who had taken the stand earlier in the trial testified that he identified the body of his uncle, Edwin Gilkes, who was employed as a security guard at Banks DIH at the time of his demise. Gilkes was buried on February 27, 2008, at Bartica.

Mark Williams, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams and Roger Simon are the three accused standing trial for the brutal attack, while Celbert Reece and Michael Caesar both pled guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. They will know their fate on December 16.

The five, allegedly being a part of the Rondell “Fine Man” Rawlins gang attacked the town and fatally shot 12 persons, namely Police Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne. Additionally, Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas and Baldeo Singh were the civilians killed.

The Bartica attack occurred weeks after another attack at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, where 11 persons were killed.