Brutus to be relieved of position once charged – AG

Embattled Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus will make history as the highest ranked officer to be implicated in a high volume of fraud, according to Attorney General Anil Nandlall. During his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News,’ he noted that the cop will be relieved of his position once charged.

“Brutus will go down in history as perhaps the highest rank Officer of the Guyana Police Force to be implicated in this volume of fraud. I believe that he will go down in the Caribbean as an officer of such rank to be implicated in this level of criminality,” he said on Tuesday evening.

The AG added; “Obviously when the charges are instituted, steps will have to be taken by the relevant agencies and in compliance with the relevant legal processes to remove Mr. Brutus from office.”

The Assistant Commissioner is facing over 240 charges relating to financial crimes. Investigations into the police officer’s finances is linked to the GPF’s Credit Union. Reports are that the probe started in July and then widened after it was discovered that the senior cop had some $40 million in his bank account and those of close relatives. The impending probe was conducted by Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the file was sent to the DPP for advice.

Nandlall said the completion of the investigation contradicts comments by the opposition that Brutus will be sheltered, and the probe will be dropped.

“Now they have seen the gravity of the situation and the amount of monies implicated and the number of charges and the government did no such covering up, they still are critical of the government. I don’t know what else they expect or what else they want from the Government,” the AG said.

Recently the Brutus filed an application in the High Court where he claimed vicitmisation among other things. The respondents are SOCU, the Government, the Commissioner of Police and others. The court later blocked him from travelling with his wife for medical attention overseas.

Other actions taken since the investigation commenced include the freezing of bank accounts held in Brutus’ name along with those of companies and businesses owned by him and his wife.

According to the AG, this was done in accordance with the AML/CFT Act.

He noted that these accounts contain large sums of money but dispelled rumours that the Asst. Commissioner is unable to take care of his financial obligations without the access to the accounts.

In fact, the AG pointed out that the bank account used to receive monthly salaries is accessible.

“Strangely, upto recently, based on the court proceedings, that account had dozens of millions of dollars. Years of salaries were not withdrawn,” Nandlall said.

SOCU is awaiting a response from the DPP to proceed with charges.