10 February 2017 :
Almost 9 years after the horrific Bartica massacre, gang members Mark Royden Williams, called ‘Durant’ and ‘Smallie’; and Dennis Williams, called ‘Anaconda’ were sentenced to death by hanging while the third accused Roger Anthony Simon, called ‘Goat Man’ was freed.Mark Williams and Dennis Williams were both found guilty on 7 counts of murder, and 5 counts of manslaughter while Roger Simon was found not guilty on all counts.
The verdict was handed by Justice Roxanne George, SC.
The three accused were accused of being among a number of gunmen who attacked the mining community of Bartica, Essequibo, on February 17, 2008, killing 12 residents.
On that fateful night, 12 persons, including three policemen were slaughtered as gunmen carried out a deadly rampage while members of the community were watching a game of 20/20 cricket on television.
Rodney Williams escaped from Camp Street Prison, in the capital of Georgetown, on 10 July 2017.
(Sources: inewsguyana.com; 03/02/2017)