CHARGED
Miner charged with Bartica massacre
By Telesha Persaud



Roger Simon


ROGER Simon, a father of nine, yesterday appeared in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with the murders of the 12 persons, including three policemen, slaughtered at Bartica by heavily armed gunmen last February 17.

The 44-year-old miner of 25 Fifth Avenue, Bartica, was not required to plead to the capital offence when he appeared before Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.


Particulars of the charge said on February 17 last, in the mining community, he murdered Zaheer Zakhir, Shane Fredericks, Ronald Gomes, Irvin Ferreira, Errol Thomas, Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Baldeo Singh, Ashraff Ally, Abdool Yasseen, Baldeo Singh and Ron Osbourne.


After reading the charge to the accused, the Magistrate asked him if he wanted to say anything to the Court; but Simon, in a very composed manner, quietly said no.


The case was transferred to Bartica Magistrate’s Court and the accused will remain a prisoner until May 14.


The twelve persons were killed during the time that residents of the Bartica community, like most other Guyanese countrywide, were glued to their television and radio sets and rooting for their countrymen playing cricket in Antigua to win the Stanford 20/20 cricket series.


Also injured were Constables 20219 Mark Campbell, shot in the upper left side and 20231 Chester Benjamin who was shot three times, Melrose Allicock of Bartica Housing Scheme who was in the company of Gilkes; 15-year-old Lisa Narine – who was shot in her left foot; and Raymond White, a passenger in Adrian’s vehicle.


During their killing spree, the marauding gunmen broke into a ‘steel strong box’ which housed weapons and ammunition at the police station, and carted away five rifles, four revolvers, and a shotgun, along with a quantity of ammunition.


Another ‘strong box’ at the Police station, containing $65,450, was also stolen. In addition, the gunmen took the keys for a police jeep and barrelled through First Avenue.


From the police station, the gunmen, who by then were shooting indiscriminately at anyone in sight, set eyes on Gilkes who was on duty at the Banks DIH outlet and chatting with Allicock.


The gunmen dragged him from his hut and shot him at close range. It was around this time that Narine, who was helping her mother sell at a nearby condiment tray, was shot in her foot.


The gunmen then made their way to the home of Chunilall Babulall, a miner who lived on First Avenue, where Ferreira was on duty.


The gunmen, declaring that they were ‘Police’, fooled the unsuspecting man who opened the gate to the premises.


Once inside, they pounced on him, broke into the house and took Ferreira to a freezer stocked with meat where they shot him too, execution style.


It was later revealed that a total of six shot guns, five revolvers, 50 x 32 ammo and 25 x 12 gauge ammunition were stolen.


Upon leaving the miner’s home, the killers discharged shots at a passing taxi, killing Adrian, the driver, and injuring White, a passenger.


Continuing their rampage, the next target for the gunmen was the home of Gurudat Singh, also on First Avenue.


It was while leaving this house that the gunmen attacked the crew on two vessels, ‘Davie II’, belonging to the conglomerate Banks DIH Limited, and ‘Little Giant’, moored alongside the Transport and Harbours Stelling.


The crewmen, sleeping in their hammocks, were made to lie on the wharf and were each shot in the head.


This massacre is reminiscent of a similar attack by armed gunmen on the East Coast Demerara community of Lusignan three weeks earlier, that left 11 persons dead and four injured.


Police subsequently charged 19-year-old minibus conductor, James Anthony Hyles, nicknamed ‘Sally’, of Lot 70 Friendship, East Coast Demerara, with the January 26 massacre.


Hyles was also not required to plead to the indictable charge which said, at Track ‘A’ Lusignan, he murdered Clarence Thomas, 48, Vanessa Thomas, 12, Ron Thomas, 11, Mohandai Gourdat, 32, Seegopaul Harilall, 10, Seegobind Harilall, four, Dhanrajie Ramsingh, 52, Seecharran Rooplall, 56, Raywattie Ramsingh, 11, Shazam Mohamed, 22 and Shalem Baksh, 52.


A Police wanted bulletin was then issued for the alleged mastermind of the killings, Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins.

HANG DE BASTARD!!!!

One man charged…hmmm

quote:

Originally posted by Petal29:
One man charged…hmmm

He is the fall guy..

Given the government/police's past arrest and charging record, we have to treat this Simon arrest with caution and not rush to judgment.

I read the entire news story looking for any clue the Joint Services found to nail on the accused, but found none. This has been the modus operandi of the Joint Services, serving at the behest of the inept and corrupt PPP regime. Arrest, detain, release or arrest, charge and detain.

Whatever happened to the teenager named 'Skinny' who was arrested three years ago on Croal Street in connection with the Sash Sawh family murders? Now the government is saying that 'Fine Man Rawlings' is the one responsible for the Sash Sawh family murders.

I continue to marvel at the speed with which the authorities are moving to arrest black people for alleged crimes and the sloth with which the regime is moving to arrest Indians with alleged crimes. Let there be swift justice against all criminals, regardless of race.

quote:

Originally posted by Communicator:
Given the government/police's past arrest and charging record, we have to treat this Simon arrest with caution and not rush to judgment.

I read the entire news story looking for any clue the Joint Services found to nail on the accused, but found none. This has been the modus operandi of the Joint Services, serving at the behest of the inept and corrupt PPP regime. Arrest, detain, release or arrest, charge and detain.

Whatever happened to the teenager named 'Skinny' who was arrested three years ago on Croal Street in connection with the Sash Sawh family murders? Now the government is saying that 'Fine Man Rawlings' is the one responsible for the Sash Sawh family murders.

I continue to marvel at the speed with which the authorities are moving to arrest black people for alleged crimes and the sloth with which the regime is moving to arrest Indians with alleged crimes. Let there be swift justice against all criminals, regardless of race.

It's amazing how you throw the fault of the police who are responsible for upholding the law. The police are the ones who investigates and make arrests. They are also the ones who have criminals backgrounds and colluded with the terrorists, criminals and murderers.. Some Police officers are directly involved with Rawlins and gang and that is why they cannot be caught.. It's a shame that you have to defend the blacks criminals who get caught..

Rama,

I'll risk responding to your elementary post and say I can only judge the government/police by their track record on arresting, charging, detaining and releasing suspects.

Nevertheless, you are confusing yourself when you in one breath you say I'm finding fault with the police, but in another breath you concede the same police have members directly involved with Rawlins and his gang. Based on your own words, can't you see why it is hard to rush to judgment when the police say they make an arrest? The police are not clean!!! The government is not clean!!!

As for your purely asinine charge that I am defending black criminals, you need to stop and check yourself again, because the last sentence of my post to which you reference reads thus: "Let there be swift justice against all criminals regardless of race." Comprehend that?

These people looking for scape goat, maybe this fellow involved and as i surmise they have eyewitness that put him at the scene perpetrating the killings. But who knows people does mek up story just to even the score over some argument.

Benford,

There's nothing more that I'd like to see than these killers caught and brought to justice. Even if that means being hanged! But the LAW MUST TAKE ITS COURSE, not LAWMEN!

That said, I have noted that most people who have been detained or called in by the police have been FINGERED by CRMINALS looking to cut deals to save their own skin. And that's why I want to know what evidence the police have on Simon before I 'rush to judgement'.