GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—The leader of the minority opposition Alliance for Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes, on Friday called for an independent investigation into reports that the acting Deputy Commissioner, Calvin Brutus, had been involved in an act of alleged financial impropriety.
In addition, Hughes wants Acting Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken to step down after he dismissed social media posts on Wednesday that Brutus had attempted to deposit GUY$16.5 million (One Guyana dollar = US$0.004 cents) into the Guyana Police Cooperative Credit Union.
“The statement by the Commissioner of Police that there was no attempted deposit of tens of millions of dollars by his deputy into the Credit Union is a cause for great concern and immediately necessitates his standing down as Commissioner during an independent investigation,” Hughes said.
“The kind of investigation that will be acceptable will be an external investigation. One of the police forces can provide top-level investigators to come and conduct this investigation. Still, it certainly cannot be done by anybody in the Guyana Police Force,” said Hughes, recommending that Guyana ask investigators from other police forces in the Caribbean to conduct the probe.
He said this is necessary “especially where the Commissioner is involved or is alleged to have made statements, and it would appear made those statements to provide cover for the entity which clearly is the suspect.”
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, when asked who would be conducting the probe, replied Friday, “You will be advised when we do a release,” adding, “I’m not speaking to that now.”
On Friday, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) confirmed that Brutus had been sent on leave to allow the probe.
“Consequent to allegations of financial impropriety leveled against Deputy Commissioner (ag) Calvin Brutus on social media and established media houses, Calvin Brutus has since requested permission to proceed on annualized vacation leave with immediate effect to facilitate an investigation in the best interest of the Guyana Police Force. The Commissioner of Police granted permission through the prescribed procedure,” the GPF said in a statement.
Media reports said Brutus allegedly deposited GUY$16.5 million into his account at the Police Credit Union on December 15, 2023. The money was returned to him the following day, and the source of funds was given as contributions from before, during, and after a wedding.
The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing Terrorism regime requires financial institutions to ‘Know Your Customer’ and flag all suspicious transactions to the Financial Intelligence Unit, which, if necessary, will refer them to the Police Force’s Special Organised Crime Unit for investigation.
Benn told reporters, “I’m not sure about the laundering of money; I’m concerned about the allegations.
“A review and investigation would be underway. We have to determine the specifics of these issues, and the public and the press will be informed as we go along the way,” Benn said.
On Friday, the Office of the Opposition Leader demanded that a reputable law enforcement agency such as the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) be called in to investigate corruption in the GPF (Guyana Police F0rce) and the other government institutions.
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