Prisoner Robert Gates denies being offered incentives to testify at Rodney COI

By Kurt Campbell

Gates is currently serving a 48 month sentence at the Georgetown Prison for the offence of false pretense.

Under cross examination today, Tuesday June 24 by Attorney – at – Law Andrew Pilgrim, said he came on his own free will to testify. He said he was never approached by anyone; claiming he first wrote a letter to the press when he learnt about the COI and later submitted a statement. How he came to do this from his prison cell was not made public.

“My discharge date remains September 2017,” he told the Commission this morning (Tuesday, June 24).

On June 6, iNews reported that Gates walked out of the hearing unshackled and unguarded.His demeanor later raised questions from several onlookers, who queried why he was not guarded by a Prison Officer and what special consideration may have been given to the convict to offer testimonies before the Commission.

Over the last two days, Gates was brought to the Court in a van from the Prison, shackled and guarded by a female Prison Officer.

When approached by iNews, the Officer clarified that she is in charge of him for the rest of the week and stated that he remains a prisoner at the institution.

To view the initial story published by iNews, you can click on the following link: http://wp.me/p3INEd-5mP

Meanwhile, the Former Policeman said based on his knowledge and interaction with Former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) member, William Gregory Smith “I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that he [Gregory] deceived both Dr. Rodney and his brother Donald into believing that he had given them a walkie talkie when he knew it was an explosive device.”

The late Guyanese Politician and Historian was killed on June 13, 1980 while sitting in his car by an explosive device concealed in a Walkie Talkie.
Gates claimed that Smith had told him that the Army, specifically Former Army Chief, Norman Mclean was going to give him an explosive to give to Rodney which would have exploded, killing him.

“If what Gregory Smith said was true then Norman Mclean indeed procured and aided and abetted him also Laurie Lewis [Former Police Commissioner] played a role,” Gates told the Commission, adding that “I do believe he was speaking the truth and he specifically stated that Mclean gave him the instructions during which Lewis was present.”

Gates concluded that “It is reasonable to conclude that he [Gregory] did trick Walter,” adding that “His brother Donald [who was later charged for procuring arms and ammunition] was made the scape goat.”

He claimed the Army had offered Smith $1 million and a safe trip out of Guyana to kill Rodney.

However, Mclean had claimed that he did not know Smith and would not recognize him if he had seen him. He claimed Smith was a deserter and was not employed by the GDF during the material time.