Commissioner of Information Charles Rishi Ramson yesterday stated that he had sent a statement to the French Guiana government requesting to have Gregory Smith, the man fingered in the killing of Dr Walter Rodney, extradited to stand a possible trial in Guyana.
Under cross-examination by the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) attorney Christopher Ram, Ramson indicated that more than one attempt was made by the PPP government to have Smith extradited.
He made this declaration at yesterday’s hearing of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the death of former WPA leader, who was killed in a car along John and Bent streets in 1980 after a walkie-talkie given to him exploded in his lap.
Ramson, a former attorney general, stated that they had received information that Smith was living in that country and, acting on the orders of former president Cheddi Jagan, he formulated a statement to have Smith extradited. Though the extradition request included that he would not be executed if found guilty,
Ramson said French Guiana did not agree to the extradition because Guyana still imposed the death penalty.
He stated that it was the responsibility of the Attorney General to make recommendations to the President
