Michael Caesar, who pleaded guilty to the 2008 Bartica mass killing, yesterday told Justice Roxane George SC and a jury, that the three men currently being tried for the crime were not there when 12 men, including three police officers, were killed.
Caesar, called ‘Capone,’ had been charged along with Mark Royden Williams, Dennis Williams, called “Anaconda” and Roger Simon, called “Goat Man,” who are currently on trial before Justice George for the crime.
The charges against the men are that on February 17, 2008, they murdered Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne, as well as Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas, and Baldeo Singh.
Caesar testified as a witness for Mark Royden yesterday in the High Court.
Last December, Caesar, 34, was sentenced to 60 years in jail after pleading guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, in which he admitted to unlawfully killing a total of 20 persons in the Lusignan and Bartica massacres.
Caesar told the court that he was a member of the gang, led by the infamous Rondell “Fine Man” Rawlins, which launched the murderous attack on the Bartica community; but said that Mark Royden was not there.
He said in his testimony, also, that neither Dennis Williams nor Simon were at Bartica on the night in question and that he had first seen the three men, only after they were all arraigned.
The convict said that on the night of the attack, it was he, along with his cousin Clebert Reece called “Chi Chi,” “Fine Man,” and gang members whom he identified as Dwane Williams, “Chung Boy,” “Mud Up,” and “Papa Willie,” who had travelled to Bartica.
He said that on their way to Bartica, their boat, driven by Reece, encountered problems. As a result, he said “Fine Man” then made a phone call, after which two men arrived and rendered assistance.
Caesar told the court that after the vessel was back up and running, one of the two men, whom he described as being fair in complexion, travelled with them to Bartica, while the other did not.
He maintained that at no time before or during the attack at Bartica was Mark, Dennis or Simon present.
Last Thursday, leading his defence in unsworn testimony from the prisoners’ dock, Mark Royden called “Smallie,” had professed his innocence. “I was not there at Bartica. I’m innocent,” he told Justice George and the jury.
He had also called his cousin, Sheldon Williams, to the stand and he said that the accused was at his (Sheldon’s) Cummings Lodge home at the time of the bloodbath at Bartica.
Meanwhile, both Reece and Dwane Williams, during their testimony earlier in the trial, had said Mark Royden and Dennis Williams were part of the gang that was responsible for the massacre at Bartica. They both also said that Simon was not a part of the group.
‘Inaccuracies’
Asked by Roger Yearwood, Mark Royden’s attorney, whether he was promised any benefits for his testimony, Caesar said no.
When confronted under cross-examination by Prosecutor Diana Kaulesar, who told him that he had told police in his caution statement that Mark Royden, Dennis and Simon were a part of the gang which had carried out the attack, Caesar said he never gave the police any statement and that he never said anything implicating the three accused.
Kaulesar then pointed out to the convict that he had unreservedly accepted all the facts read against him when he pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges in relation the Bartica killings, in which he had spoken of the alleged involvement of the three accused.
However, Caesar said not everything read in the facts against him were accurate. Asked if he had indicated to the court at the time that the facts read against him that some details were inaccurate, Caesar said he did not. His response was the same when asked if he had brought this to the attention of his attorney.
Kaulesar suggested to the witness that the reason he said nothing about anything being inaccurate in the facts was because there were no inaccuracies. He, however, maintained that there were.
The prosecutor then enquired from the convict if he wanted the court to believe that he would have pleaded guilty to facts which were untrue. He said yes.
At his plea-hearing to the 12 manslaughter counts, Caesar, when asked by the judge if he had accepted the facts read against him by the prosecution, said yes, in the presence of his attorney Maxwell McKay.
Asked if he and his cousin Reece were on speaking terms, the witness said no and that he did not consider him a friend.
Asked if he and Mark Royden were friends, Caesar said no and added that they were strangers, except for becoming familiar with each other, after being arraigned in the magistrates’ court.
The prosecutor then asked the witness if he expected the court to believe that he would testify on behalf of a stranger. “No, I come fuh tell the truth,” Caesar said.
Asked if he had a sudden urge to tell the truth, the witness said yes. He then went on to say that he had that urge before. Asked if anyone had prevented him from coming forward to tell the truth, Caesar said no.
Meanwhile, in leading his defence, Dennis opted to do so in sworn testimony from the witness stand in which he said he was innocent of the charge levelled against him.
The case continues this morning, when the prosecution’s cross-examination of Dennis will continue. Thereafter, Simon is expected to lead his defence.
Representing Dennis Williams and Simon, respectively, are attorneys Saphier Hussain and Peter Hugh.
The state’s case meanwhile, is being presented by Kaulesar, in association with Stacy Goodings.
