
Royden Durant also called “Royden Williams” and “Smallie”, who was shot and killed during a Joint Services operation, was cremated at the Memorial Garden on Friday during which relatives and friends paid their last respects.
However, prior to the funeral, the death-row inmate’s father, Maurice Williams, hosted a press briefing at the Daphne Rogers Building, Hughes Fields & Stoby, Hadfield and Cross Streets, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown office during which he accused the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) of not releasing his son’s body to the family.
He stated that the family was contemplating taking legal action against the State’s refusal to hand over the body.

“We contacted and received a response from the Attorney General indicating that the State had no difficulties releasing the body for burial. The Attorney General, however, subsequently indicated that the body is in the lawful custody of the State and the State will not be releasing the body for burial,” Attorney-at-Law Ronald Daniels, who is representing the grieving family, told the media.
“As far as we are concerned, the State has no authority or law, or in convention to detain the body of Mr Williams, and the body of Mr Williams should be handed over to his family.”

Odel Roberts
One of the key points of contention raised by the family is the suspicious condition of the body of the now-dead death-row inmate.
The escapee’s father related “On Wednesday I went to visit Royden and there were a lot of bullet holes and a lot of his tattoos coming off of his skin… we bury our dead, that’s how I know it from growing up in my family…Royden is dead already, you don’t have any right to hold the body.”
In fact, the family was hoping to stop the funeral from happening but soon after the press briefing, the Home Affairs Ministry in a press statement related that the sister of the now-dead high-profile prisoner had met with the prison authorities and agreed for the State to take control of the funeral.
“Shortly after his death, Williams’ sister engaged the Prison Authorities who informed her that the State will not hand over the body to the family and will take care of the funeral arrangements. The reasons were provided to the sister. The Prison Authorities and the sister, on behalf of the family, discussed and consensually planned the funeral arrangements,” the release stated.
