By Shuntel Glasgow
Following controversy over the custody of the remains of notorious murder convict, Royden Williams, the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) yesterday cremated the body despite objections and requests made by the family for it to be handed over to them for burial.
The Guyana Prison Service stated in a press release yesterday that the body remained in their jurisdiction by law. A funeral service was held at the Memorial Gardens, Le Repentir, where the family was asked to provide a pastor to conduct the final rites. The body was then cremated in an automated system since the designated family member refused to push the button for ignition. The automated system began 45 minutes after the refusal and the family members were advised of this.
The GPS said that its position on the matter was that unless the convictions and sentences imposed upon Williams were set aside or reversed by a court of competent jurisdiction, Williams’s body will remain with the prison authorities, as the law provides. Appeals filed and pending against his multiple convictions and sentences do not affect this position.
The GPS said that the matter was further compounded by the fact that Williams escaped again from lawful custody, aided and abetted by several persons, some of whom were in possession of high-powered automatic rifles, who not only fired upon the pursing ranks but also created general fear and terror countrywide.
While family members sought to pursue legal action yesterday, hoping that the process would have come to a halt and that they would be granted full custody of the body, that did not stop the prison service from executing their plan to dispose of the body. Despite their attorney’s communication with the authorities, the body was set for cremation at 2 pm. Mixed emotions filled the air as the family expressed dissatisfaction at the proposed decision and the state of the body according to their observations. There was tight security at the compound and media personnel were prohibited from entering the building where the service was kept.
Williams’s sister told reporters at the funeral that when they learned about her brother’s death, five family members including herself and mother, attended a meeting with Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot; Deputy Director of Prisons, Kevin Pilgrim; and Curtis (only name given), a prison officer from the Mazaruni Prison. According to her she asked Elliot if they would be given the body and his response was no, the body had to be cremated. The woman explained that Elliot asked in the meeting what the family wanted and she responded that they wanted possession of the body. She requested that the body be taken to Berbice and Elliott said no. They then asked for it to be taken to Le Repentir Cemetery for burial and he also responded by saying no. Elliot then stated that the body has to be cremated.
Elliot then outlined that Williams’s body would be wrapped in a white cloth and that the state would provide a coffin. The family objected and stated that they already had his clothes. After a short private discussion between Elliot and Pilgrim the family was given the go ahead to pay for a casket of their choice and to provide the burial clothes. The family was then asked to provide a list of the persons attending the funeral with a maximum of 30. She contended that they never gave permission for her brother to be cremated.
The sister added that burn marks were observed on her brother’s body on the day of the observation. They said that since the body has been cremated they will seek legal action against the state. She refuted claims made by the GPS that she had agreed to their course of action.
Following the GPS decision to have the body cremated, the family retained attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, and a press conference was held yesterday at the Daphne Rogers Building, Hughes Fields and Stoby, in Georgetown prior to the cremation.
Attorney-at-law Ronald Daniels of the law firm briefed members of the media. He stated that the family related that they attended the GPS offices on Wednesday. They were permitted to view William’s body on Thurs-day and were then inform-ed that the body would not be handed over to them for burial.
Daniels explained that their office subsequently communicated with Attor-ney General, Anil Nandlall yesterday morning via letter before the action. The letter alerted the Attorney General of the instructions by the state through the prison service of its refusal to hand over the body to the family for burial. The demands of the family were communicated which included that the body be subjected to another autopsy and handed over for burial.
According to Daniels, Nandlall initially responded and indicated that the state had no difficulties in releasing the body for burial. However, he subsequently indicated that the body was in the lawful custody of the state and it would not be released. They were told that the body will be cremated and the family would be permitted to attend a service facilitated by the prison.
Williams’ father, Morris Williams, told reporters that on Wednesday he was given the opportunity to observe his son’s body. He alleged that many bullet holes were seen about the body. The saddened father stated that the family subscribed to the Christian way of life and according to their religious beliefs the dead should be buried. The father reasoned that since his son is dead, he didn’t see the reason for withholding the body from the family. He mentioned that his wish was for his son to be buried peacefully.
Responding to a question about the post-mortem examination results, the father stated that he learnt via news reports that his son had died from gunshot wounds. However on his visit to observe the body he was not privileged to witness the post mortem examination. Family members were just given approximately ten minutes to view the body before the examination was done. He added that as a family they complied with the instructions sanctioned by the authorities with expectation of receiving the body after the autopsy.
Morris Williams related that the family wasn’t given an option or even a chance to give consent upon the decision but rather instructed that it would be the course of action by the state and that they had to comply. They however begged for Royden Williams’s body to be buried in his home town, Berbice but the authorities refused, contending that the state had jurisdiction over the body.
Morris Williams that he felt bullied in relation to custody of his son’s body.
The Guyana Prison Service’s position on this matter is that unless the convictions and sentences imposed upon Williams were set aside or reversed by a court of competent jurisdiction, the body remains with the prison authorities, as the law provides. Appeals filed and pending against his multiple convictions and sentences do not affect this position.
On May 19, Royden escaped from the high security block of the Mazaruni Prison. He was charged, inter alia, with a total of 23 counts of murder including the Lusignan and Bartica massacres. He was also found guilty of nine counts of murder inclusive of murder of women, children and the death of a Guyana Defence Force officer and sentenced to death on each count.
Two of his accomplices were killed after an exchange of gunfire with members of the Joint Services who were in pursuit. Royden was shot dead by a Joint Services team during an exchange of gun fire on Thursday, June 1, within the 33 Miles, Potaro Road, Bartica area.
