By Ariana Gordon

A ROCK was lobbed at Deputy Prison Chief Gladwin Samuels during the deadly prison riot, inmate Trevor Williams told a commission of inquiry looking into the episode.Testifying for the first time before the commission, Williams also said there was some uneasiness between Samuels and officer-in-charge of the Camp Street Prison, Kevin Pilgrim, on the March 3 riot.

Hailing from Mabaruma in Region One and currently residing in the Capital ‘B’ Division, murder accused Trevor Williams said Samuels told Pilgrim to “shut up”, as he (Samuels) was in charge.

Williams also recounted that a rock was thrown at Samuels from within the Capital ‘B’ Division of the prison.

“I don’t know who throw the rock by Mr Gladwin Samuels from Capital B,” he said, as he recounted what happened that day.

Williams said Samuels had instructed him to step out of Capital B, but he was afraid to comply because Samuels was brandishing a gun.

“While I was standing, he said he want to see the man who pelt him,” the prisoner stated. He explained that while he was standing at the door, Pilgrim instructed the prisoners of Capital ‘B’ to use the stairs of Capital ‘A’.

“Mr Gladwin Samuels told Mr Pilgrim to shut up because he (Mr Samuels) was doing this exercise, and he told us to use Capital ‘B’ step.”

Shortly after receiving instructions from the hierarchy of the prison, Williams said, he saw “black smoke” emanating from Capital ‘A’ Division, and heard inmates hollering for help as the fire was already spreading in the building.

Asked whether he had seen prison officers running to the assistance of the prisoners, Williams replied, “The prison wardens were in the prison yard, and some were standing on the step. After the fire, then I saw the Fire Service people and other inmates go and try to get out the inmates from Capital ‘A’.”

The 23-year-old said a saw was used to open the back door located within Capital ‘A’, through which persons were removed.

“I was standing beside the gate, and one fire fighter come down and I ask he if anybody get burn, and he said 16 people, and all dead,” Williams recounted.

Collis Collison, who has been in and out of prison since he was 14 years old, also appeared before the three-man Commission on Monday. This being his second time testifying before the panel, Collison said he was targeted by ranks of the Prison Services Task Force. He explained that he was searched, after which he saw a group of approximately nine officers approaching him.

Collison alleged that the men beat him and threw him to the ground. He was handcuffed and his feet were chained. He said that contrary to what Counsel for the Joint Services had put to him, he was not in any way fighting with the officers, nor did he resist being arrested.

“I was never fighting with any officer…I can’t see 8-9 officers with batons and shields and fight… No, sir!” Collison stated.

Pieters then told Collison that video evidence suggested that he did resist arrest, and Collison responded, “I would like to see the video.”

“I suggest you were not compliant… actively resistant,” said Pieters. “I was not resisting…I never fought with the officers…I complied,” Collison responded, as he maintained that he had done nothing wrong.

The attorney suggested that Collison had threatened and cursed prison officers on the day in question. “You were cursing… threatened the officers’ lives?” said Pieters. “No sir, I never threaten no officer, sir,” responded Collison.

The attorney then put it to the prisoner that he had been hostile towards Samuels. “That’s a lie sir, a total lie,” responded Collison.

The prisoner contended that prison officers had dropped him on the ground and he had hit his head, which he said had led to him being unconscious. “They drop me…I fell and knock myself hard…I lost consciousness…No officer was available at the time to assist me,” Collison said as he noted that he did not receive medical treatment after regaining consciousness.

Pieters then suggested that Collison had resisted the officers because he did not want to be removed from the Georgetown Prison.

“You actively resisted because you wanted to be in the same position you are in today. You didn’t want to get moved from the Georgetown Prison. Isn’t that why you created the scene that you did? You knew that when they took you to recess they were going to move you to another jail. You knew that, didn’t you?” Pieters questioned.

“I’m telling you I don’t know,” responded Collison, who has been deemed a ringleader in Capital ‘A’ Division. “I didn’t hear no inmates cussing or threatening the officers. I never fight the officers, sir; I am speaking the truth…Everything I am speaking here and the day before is the truth,” the prisoner stated firmly.

The CoI into the Georgetown Prison Riots continue today.