‘From Priest to Demon’: Joseph Hamilton fabricated evidence – Williams suggests

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Lead Counsel for the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) at the ongoing Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (COI), Basil Williams has suggested that Joseph Hamilton went from a priest to a demon based on the testimony he has given.

Hamilton claimed that during 1978, while he was a student priest in the House of Israel, he was forced moments after reading the bible to beat and terrorize opponents to the then PNC government.

It is in this regard that Williams suggested that Hamilton went from “being a priest to a demon,” a suggestion that was rejected by Hamilton, who claimed that at the time his actions were seen as doing a good.

Williams suggested too that Hamilton lied about classified information he provided with respect to relations between the PNC and the House of Israel, because at the time in question he would have only been a student priest, thereby prohibiting him from gaining access to alleged meetings between the PNC and the House of Israel leadership where guns were handed over.

He claimed that the evidence given by the witness against the PNC were fabricated; adding that his presence at those meetings were fabricated too.

“I am saying that there is no way you could have been a part of those meetings between the hierarchy of these two bodies because you were too low down on the ladder,” Williams said, even as Hamilton insisted that he had gained the trust of the Leadership of the House of Israel and attended those meetings.

Meanwhile, the now Member of Parliament for the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has admitted to being a thug during his induction at the House of Israel beginning 1978.

Under cross examination, Hamilton was quizzed on his reasons for mentioning the names of several distinguished Guyanese when it had nothing to do with the death of Dr Rodney.

He in turn claimed that he wanted to establish how the arms of state had denigrated, a conclusion that was rejected by Williams who claimed he [Hamilton] has no authority to speak of such when he was a thug at the time.

The Former PNC Executive and MP, who is expected to complete his testimony by tomorrow recalled rigged elections by the PNC, giving away of state lands and the advancement of the concept of Party Paramountcy.