Photographer Keron Bruce was yesterday charged with a cybercrime based on the accusation that he spread false information about reporter Leroy Smith.
Bruce, 35, of Soesdyke Back Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was arraigned before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court, where he denied the allegations.
According to the charge, on Monday, January 25, 2022, at Soesdyke, EBD, Bruce allegedly used a computer system to disseminate information about Smith, knowing the information to be false, and which subjects Smith to public ridicule, contempt, hatred or embarrassment.
After he was granted bail the matter was adjourned until April 29, 2022 for reports and disclosure.
Bruce in February filed a $200 million lawsuit against social media personality Mikhail Rodrigues, popularly known as ‘Guyanese Critic,’ for what he said were defamatory statements made about him.
Bruce, the Claimant, deposed that Rodrigues, the Defendant, made several false and defamatory statements about him during a Facebook live post which attracted more than 33,000 views.
Bruce contended that Rodrigues identified him as the online persona “mudwata,” whom the police had been seeking at the time.
He said that the statements had no basis in fact, were malicious and grossly inaccurate, and that he was concerned that those statements may cause the police to lay a charge against him, among other things.
