Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliot’s alleged refusal to hand over the body of notorious convicted killer and death row inmate, Mark Royden Williams, called ‘Smallie’ to his family for burial could be the subject of a legal battle.
The convicted killer’s family alleges that Elliot has refused to hand over the body. As a result, they have approached Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes.
A press invite from Hughes stated that at about 8:15 h on Friday, Williams’ family alerted Chief Justice Roxane George, SC, of their intention to engage the Court on their application to have the convicted killer and death row inmate’s body handed over for burial.
After the notification, the lawyer said that the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, SC, informed Counsel for the family that the Commissioner of Police would hand over the body to the relatives.
“Acting in reliance on this representation, the family cease any application to the court,” Hughes said.
He added that at about 11:00h, the Prison Director informed the family that the Prison would not hand over the body to relatives and would proceed to cremate it this afternoon.
“The father of Royden Williams attended the post-mortem and observed several usual injuries on the body of his son,” Hughes added.
The media has been asking the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for the post-mortem report on Williams, but this has not been forthcoming.
According to the Police, Williams and his accomplice Odel Roberts were shot and killed during a confrontation on June 1, 2023, at 33 Miles Bartica Potaro.
Prior to that confrontation, another accomplice, Neon Howard, called ‘Taxi,’ was killed at St Mary’s Quarry, Essequibo River, after he opened fire on ranks of the Joint Services.
Smallie escaped on May 19, 2023, from the Mazaruni Prison, a maximum security facility, following an exchange of gunfire with prison officers.
The notorious convicted killer escaped while returning to the Sibley Hall prison after receiving a visit from a female when the escorting ranks came under gunfire by men with AK-47s.
As a result, the ranks dismounted the ATV and returned fire at the assailants. At that point, one of the boat occupants came onto the land and continued to discharge several rounds towards the prison officers.
Williams, who was in foot chains, ran towards the riverbank and jumped into the river. His accomplices at that point assisted him into the boat, which proceeded westerly upriver.
Four prison officers are among six persons charged and remanded to prison for aiding in Williams’ escape.
