Man charged with threats to PM’s life walks free

Anthony “Scarface” Hamilton says prison officers conspired against him in order to have him convicted of two charges that he says he knows nothing about.{{more}}

However, the man who was charged with threatening to kill Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves and Superintendent of Prisons Linus Goodluck, walked free from the Serious Offences Court on Monday, after Chief Magistrate Sonya Young upheld a no case submission.

It was alleged that the threats were made between December 2010 and February 2011, at Her Majesty’s Prison.

Hamilton, who represented himself and appeared to have a firm grasp of the law, skilfully cross-examined two prosecution witnesses, in a manner which ultimately resulted in him being freed.

Senior prison officer Osborne Mornix told the Chief Magistrate that he was standing in the area of the main entrance of the prison yard when he overheard someone speaking in a loud tone of voice.

Mornix testified that he saw it was Hamilton.

“He was making certain threats to kill Superintendent of Prisons and Prime Minister Gonsalves. I went towards his direction to find out the reason for him making threats and ordered him to desist.”

Mornix said Hamilton told him it was his frustration that pushed him to say what he had said.

The matter was then reported to the prison authorities.

During cross-examination, Hamilton said he was confined to the dormitory during the time it was alleged that the threats were made.

“Are confined prisoners allowed to be with the general population?” Hamilton asked.

Morninx said confined prisoners are not allowed to mingle with regular prisoners.

“So what was the prisoner (referring to himself) doing in the yard when he was confined indefinitely?” Hamilton further questioned.

Mornix told the court that Hamilton was confined after the threats were made and at the time the threats were made, he was a regular prisoner.

However, when chief prison officer Brenton Charles took the stand, he gave a different story.

When cross-examined by Hamilton, Charles said Hamilton was confined to the dormitory at the time the threats were made.

Charles read from the prison default register, the threats which had allegedly been made.

However, the threats he read were not threats to kill, as stated in the charges, but threats to rape the wives of the Prime Minister, Goodluck and the permanent secretary and sexually assault their children.

Hamilton said he had been confined to the dormitory because of a fight with another inmate.

The chief prison officer also said Hamilton was confined for a “significant time”.

“You came to my office before the allegations… At the time the threats were made, you were in the dormitory.”

Chief Magistrate Young immediately upheld a no case submission in relation to both charges and Hamilton was freed.

Shortly after being freed, Hamilton admitted making a threat to rape Goodluck’s wife.

“I told Mr Goodluck that I is the kind of guy who would rape his wife…,” he said.

However, right now, Hamilton said he is focused on rebuilding his life and using some of the skills he learned in prison to help him along the way.

In 1996, he was convicted on two charges of rape and aggravated burglary and subsequently sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

“I do 17 calendar years and I would have done come out of prison in 2010, if it wasn’t for a fight with another prisoner….,” Hamilton said.

“I feel good about this. I was not looking to go back in prison this morning. When I come court this morning, ah done tell the prisoners this is the last time. I had it in my mind that something going work out for me,” he added.

Hamilton revealed that his vast knowledge of the law comes from “certain things” he picked up while in prison and by listening to attorney Kenneth John.

“I only made the threat to Goodluck, but not the PS or PM because me and them ain’t have nothing,” Hamilton said.(KW)