GEORGETOWN, Guyana– Police Detective Dion Bascom Wednesday pleaded not guilty to three cybercrime-related charges for allegedly harassing two of his senior colleagues, accusing them of ‘covering up the murder of Ricardo ‘Paper Shorts’ Fagundes, who was shot several times on March 21, 2021, soon after leaving a nightclub.
Bascom, 33, was released on GUY$300,000 bail (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents) when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The matter has been adjourned to September 21.
According to the prosecution, Bascom used a computer system to transmit electronic data to humiliate, harass or cause substantial emotional distress to Superintendents Mitchell Ceasar and Chabinauth Singh during August.
Police Legal Advisor Mandel Moore had objected to Bascom being released on bail, citing the seriousness of the offense. He told the court that Bascom poses a flight risk since there is a strong likelihood that he might leave the jurisdiction.
However, attorney Nigel Hughes asked that his client be released on bail and that he will abide by any condition attached. To his release.
Hughes also told the court that a private criminal charge had been filed against Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum under the Cybercrime Act.
The Chief Magistrate, in granting bail to Bascom, ordered that he surrender his travel and report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters every other Friday.
Bascom used his Facebook page to make several damning allegations of corruption against a city business person and senior officers of the Guyana Police Force as it relates to the murder of Fagundes.
CCTV footage of the incident showed Fagundes walking towards a black vehicle after exiting the nightclub when two gunmen jumped out of a parked car and riddled him with bullets.
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