CoI final submissions…Donald Rodney maintains PNC had hand in brother’s killing

Jul 29, 2015 News

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A year after the official probe into Dr. Walter Rodney’s commenced, Donald Rodney , brother to the slain Working People’s Alliance (WPA) leader and lone eyewitness to his demise, maintained that the then ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) government was responsible for the dreadful act.
A few months ago, Donald Rodney appeared after a highly anticipated wait, and during his testimony, he insisted that the state orchestrated the renowned historian’s death.
On Monday, through the submissions of his Attorney, Keith Scotland, the surviving Rodney’s story remained the same.
As he made his final submissions before a Commission of Inquiry, Scotland said that between 1978 and 1980 the political struggle intensified in the form of a civil resistance campaign focused on what was considered a fraudulent constitution, much to the displeasure of the then ruling party.
Scotland referred to the evidence of House of Israel member, Joseph Hamilton, who linked the government of the day to terrorizing WPA members, despite the lack of violent retaliation from the latter party.
He spoke, too, of evidence being brought before the commission by various witnesses who supported that there were direct acts of state oppression and terrorism against members of the opposition.
Scotland pointed to the timeline in relation to the killing of persons engaged in the struggle as documented through evidence offered by Eusi Kwayana.
He said Kwayana referred to the killings of WPA activists, Ohene Koama on November 19, 1979 and Edward Dublin in February 1980. These followed a threatening address delivered by then Prime Minister Forbes Burnham in August 1979.
Donald Rodney said, too, that following the burning of a government building, some WPA members were charged with arson and Dr. Rodney was among those arraigned. Scotland insisted that this formed part of what he deemed clear and compelling evidence that there can be a finding of fact that the then government was actively terrorizing opposition members.
He spoke too of the killing of Father Bernard Darke in front of the Brickdam Police Station.
“Father Darke was killed in broad daylight; Father Darke was killed in the presence of uniformed armed police officers who have, according to all testimony of witnesses who came before this commission, stood idly by without lending one ounce of assistance,” Scotland emphasised.
Father Darke, who was perceived as a WPA sympathizer, was killed by a House of Israel member.
The symbolism of Darke’s killing, he said, was clear. He spoke too of Burnham’s infamous address that WPA members must “make their wills”. This was taken to be an open threat to the party members, including Dr. Rodney.
He spoke too of a raid conducted on lone murder suspect and former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant Gregory Smith’s house, where Government equipment was found. He said that the former soldier who handed over the explosive device was flown away to Kwakwani from Timehri by GDF Captain Gerry Gouveia.
He implored commissioners to consider the resources required for Smith to be afforded such a “feat” and argued against claims documented in Smith’s book, Assassination Cry of a Failed Revolution: The Truth about Walter Rodney’s Death, that he was drugged and taken to Kwakwani; an escape that was orchestrated by the WPA.
For such to be believed, he contended, evidence would have had to be presented that the WPA could have commanded such an operation. Scotland contended that there was evidence that there was state involvement in Smith’s escape to French Guiana after Dr. Rodney died.
Donald Rodney’s lawyer insisted that all evidence pointed to state involvement in Dr. Rodney’s death. He said that his client being dragged before the courts and charged was used as a distraction, since he was the lone witness who could identify Smith for the role he played in his brother’s killing.
Incidents prior to June 13, 1980, the lawyer claimed, show that the state was responsible for Dr. Rodney’s death.
“He did not die in his sleep, Mister Chairman. He died by an explosive device given to Donald Rodney to give to him by Gregory Smith, who had the controlling set, and who then was taken away from Timehri in a GDF plane,” Scotland emphasised.
He asked the commission to find that denial of Smith by the state was a poor attempt for it to distance itself from what had happened. He said that an arrest warrant had been issued for Smith by the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), yet he was issued a passport in 1999, in the name of Cyril Johnson.
This, Scotland said, smacks of government interference. At that point the session concluded.

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