Georgetown: Despite claims by former Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Major General (retired) Norman Mc Lean that he had never met accused killer of Dr Walter Rodney, William “Gregory” Smith during his stint at as head of the Army, the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on Friday learnt that Smith was in fact reporting to the former Army number one.
Mc Lean on Thursday had told the Commission investigating the death of Rodney that Smith was at that time a deserter of the Force. He sought to convince the Commission that he never met Smith, while he headed the Force.
And that after Rodney’s death on June 13, 1980, and with the news spreading that Smith, a member of the GDF was implicated, he did not find it necessary to investigate a “sergeant allegedly involved in the killing”.
The Commission’s Counsel and other legal representatives at the CoI, found it hard to believe.
But Former Police Corporal Allan Robert Gates, who joined the Police Force back in 1977, said he was informed by Smith himself that he was still a serving member of the Force. The two had met at the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Tiger Bay Office in February of 1980. He said Smith’s appearance at that time assumed to him that he might have been playing an undercover role for the GDF as well. Gates told the inquiry that he was being used by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to spy on the Working People’s Alliance (WPA).
He described Smith’s appearance, noting that his face was bearded and hair “afro-like”. He said he came to the conclusion that Smith “was probably doing the same thing I am doing”, since it was not a norm for a serving member of the Army to “be like that”, unless they had a medical condition or working undercover.
Gates related that he immediately pulled Smith at the side of the building, finding out his reason for being there. He said Smith’s response was short and simple, since like him, Smith did not want to say too much at that stage. He said Smith told him that he was doing some “technical stuff” for Dr Walter Rodney, while he disclosed that he was working undercover. That “technical stuff”, he said he later learnt was the assembling of walkie-talkies.
Three persons
Gates said he enquired from Smith who he was reporting to. His response was that he was reporting to three persons: Norman Mc Lean from the GDF, Laurie Lewis from the GPF and an officer he referred to only as Chichester aka “Chico”.
He said they met several times after that at various bars around the city to discuss their plans. They had also on one occasion met together with former KGB agent Brazhned – he was introduced by Officer Chichester. According to him, Smith was also introduced to the Russian technician as well since he too was receiving technical advice at the expense of the GDF.
It was at one of their several meetings, Gates said that Smith related to him that he was being offered $1 million and free passage out of Guyana to give Dr Rodney an explosive device. He said prior to that information, Smith had indicated that Dr Rodney had wanted him to build a “high profile” walkie-talkie. However, he disclosed that he did not have the expertise. Gates said that Smith told him that he turned to his superiors who had offered to assist him.
According to Smith, his superiors said that they would have the walkie-talkie made in Russia, since it could not be made here.
However, their plan was to instead of giving him a walkie-talkie, to give him an explosive. Gates said the plan was detailed to him by Smith and he tried to dissuade him from carrying out such acts, warning him that he would be killed anyhow. He said that was the last time he spoke with Smith until sometime after Dr Rodney’s death. He said at the time of Rodney’s death, he was already in Sand Hills, a village up the Berbice River. He said that Smith grew up with his uncle in a village a few miles from where he lived. Gates said he had ventured back up the riverine village to seek refuge, since he himself was expected to participate in the death of another WPA activist, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine.
He said he was fearful for his life after he did not carry out the request and said some days after Dr Rodney’s death, a yellow Bell 6, a helicopter used by the GDF, was seen hovering over his village. He said his first thought was that he was being sought after.
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