Captain Gerry Gouveia is among the persons who will be giving testimony when the next session of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) begins, according to the commission’s lead counsel Glen Hanoman.
Hanoman told Stabroek News recently that next week Gouveia, Fr Malcom Rodrigues and Tacuma Ogunseye will appear before the commission, while the following week, trade unionist Lincoln Lewis is among those who have been identified. The next set of hearings begins next Monday and will run for eight working days, ending on July 2.
The CoI was set up to among other things probe the circumstances surrounding the death of Working People’s Alliance co-leader Dr Walter Rodney which occurred on June 13, 1980.
Gouveia was subpoenaed by the commission. At the time of Rodney’s death, Gouveia was a member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
Asked about the appearance of then crime chief Cecil ‘Skip’ Roberts whose name has been mentioned in testimony given to the commission so far, Hanoman explained that it is highly unlikely that he would be appearing in this session as he is yet to complete his witness statement. He explained that Roberts has opted not to submit his own statement but rather to have one written for him. He said that he (Hanoman) had started interviewing him but was unable to conclude. He told Stabroek News that a witness cannot appear before the commission without first having submitted a signed statement and in the case of Roberts this has not been done.
The hearings which are open to the members of the public will convene at 9 am each day at the Supreme Court Library Building, Victoria Law Courts, Avenue of the Republic & Charlotte Street, Georgetown.
