By Sharda Bacchus
After several failed attempts to elude law enforcement officials after escaping from the Mazaruni Prison two weeks ago, notorious convicted killer and death row inmate, Mark Royden Williams, was shot and killed during a Joint Services operation on Thursday morning.
The News Room was reliably informed that the Joint Services ranks cornered Williams at an area called ‘47 miles’ in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). Reports indicate that a rifle was also recovered at the scene.
A team of ranks is currently en route to the location. Police Headquarters confirmed that “a person” was indeed shot and killed but did not release the name.
“One person was indeed shot and killed during a confrontation with members of the Joint Services, and a rifle recovered. Investigators are en route to the location. A statement will be released to the press at the earliest opportunity,” the Police statement noted.
The development comes days after Williams’ accomplice, Neon Howard, a 33-year-old man of Friendship, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was shot and killed during a confrontation with Police ranks at St. Mary’s Logging Area, also in Region Seven.
Williams called ‘Smallie’, in a daring daylight ordeal and assisted by men with high-powered weapons, escaped from the Mazaruni Prison on May 19. This is the country’s maximum security penitentiary.
A day later, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) announced a $10 million reward for any information that can lead to Williams’ arrest.
The convicted mass murderer escaped while being escorted back from a visit with the aid of heavily armed accomplices in a speedboat. The escort party was fired upon with AK-47 automatic rifles by men inside the boat alongside the Mazaruni River.
The boat and its occupants, including Williams, proceeded upstream, past Itaballi landing, while Prison guards and Police in support undertook pursuit.
Just a week ago, six persons were remanded to prison after they were charged with aiding Williams to escape from the penitentiary.
Rajmohan Autor called ‘Chico’, 48, a businessman of Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE); Frangeliz Jugandry Flores Perez, 28, a Venezuelan national of Kitty, Georgetown; Omar Witherspoon, 26 of Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice; Conroy Hosannah, 35 of East Canje, Berbice; Oldfield Romulus, 50, of Victoria Cumberland Village, East Canje, Berbice and Alexander Hopkinson, 59 of Bartica Housing Scheme were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony.
Hopkinson is the Superintendent of Prisons at the Mazaruni Prison while Romulus is the second-in-charge. Perez is the woman who visited Williams at the prison shortly before the daring daylight escape.
The case was adjourned to June 22, 2023.
Williams was convicted of murders stemming from the Bartica massacre in 2008, when he, along with other gunmen, ambushed and killed twelve (12) persons, including three (3) policemen. Additionally, he had been sentenced to death in September last year over the killing on January 23rd, 2008, of Guyana Defence Force member Corporal Ivor Williams.
He had previously escaped from the Camp Street Prison on July 09, 2017, but was recaptured on October 10, 2017, on the Weldaad Public Road, West Coast Berbice.
The intellectual authors of this escape must be exposed and brought to justice .I am looking forward to know who are these persons.
The Buxton Line Top Bhai……….is de code name.
…. de prison officers who are charged should know …….time for them to sing….