The 'ghost' seen in the video was real.

This is the sentiment being expressed by at least two pastors following the publication of the front-page story in The Star on Monday. Since the story - which spoke about a duppy being caught on camera at a funeral - broke, there have been contradicting views of the authenticity of the five-second clip.

However, after reviewing the video, Bishop Joseph Ade-Gold of Overcomers World Ministries, and Reverend Dr Lloyd Maxwell of the Agape Christian Fellowship Church in Portmore, say it was not a camera trick.

In an email response to The Star, Bishop Ade-Gold, whose ministry also deals with casting out evil spirits, said the figure seen in the clip was, in fact, a demon.

"I saw the interesting video with the duppy running across the pulpit of a church at a funeral. I am happy that people are beginning to accept the reality of the demonic world. Let me confirm that the object that ran across the video screen is a demon. It is a demon of death that came to ridicule the deceased," he wrote.

"It ran across the stage with such a jeering, mocking laughter. This is not a strange phenomenon. It is not the spirit of the deceased as some people may think. It is, rather, the spirit of death that killed the person. I recommend that churches where funerals are held must pray for those in attendance. Mocking death demons are always around."

In his response, after watching the clip, Rev. Dr Maxwell said it would have required "unusual photographic and technological skills beyond those of an ordinary videographer to produce that footage." He continued: "This may not be a hoax. I would not be prepared to accept the story on the basis of one eyewitness only and whose credibility may not be established. However, with the camera corroborating the story and on the basis of biblical support of such manifestations and previously documented evidence from credible sources, I am prepared to say it might be genuine."

Pastor Dr Donald Stewart of the Portmore Lane Covenant Community Church was less conclusive in his pronouncement. He said that the clip "could go either way, since camera/video tricks are quite easy to perform, and at the same time it is possible for demonic spirits (not duppies as they are normally called) to appear and disappear at will."

On a different note, Brian St Juste, renowned film producer/director of over 30 years was not buying the argument that the clip was genuine. Referring to the alleged ghost clip as a 'joke tape', St Juste said that it was not a ghost that ran across the camera but someone playing a trick. He continued that he observed a shadow travelling with the ghost in the clip, which is odd, given that it is said that they do not have shadows. St Juste, in further dismissing the authenticity of the clip, joked that Casper the friendly ghost was the only laughing duppy he knew. The film producer said he watched the clip in the company of other accomplished directors and they all shared the same view.