Describing the allegations levelled by police Sergeant Dion Bascom as “malicious and untrue”, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) yesterday again denied there had been any cover-up in the murder probe of Ricardo Fagundes and said that it was convicted drug trafficker, Roger Khan who provided the names of two suspects who allegedly committed the crime.
“The Guyana Police Force wishes to submit that Mr Bascom is not being honest and he is manufacturing false or concocted information out of malice against members of the Guyana Police Force and it all stemmed from his arrest and detention by CANU (Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit ) investigators,” Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum yesterday afternoon told reporters.
He was at the time addressing a press conference at the Commissioner of Police’s, Conference Room, Eve Leary, Georgetown amid a spiralling controversy over the unsolved Fagundes murder.
During the press conference, a presentation was shown to the press to debunk Bascom’s claims. Included in the presentation were clips from Bascom’s live broadcast which has since been removed as well as WhatsApp conversations including those between Khan’s lawyer and the police.
The police said the information in the presentation was “credible” and “evidence” to support their position. They said it provides details about what the GPF has been doing about the allegations levelled by Bascom.
Blanhum revealed that Khan had provided the police with information on two suspects who allegedly murdered Fagundes. The men were identified as Rondel Bacchus, who was arrested during the probe and later released without being charged.
“The Guyana Police Force wishes to submit that it was Roger Khan, through his lawyer who made the claims that Rondel Bacchus was one of the suspects captured on the CCTV footage, who opened fire on Ricardo Fagundes…..So Bascom’s claims are malicious and untrue,” Blanhum said.
The other individual was also named. Bascom had said that the man is employed as a private security for a city businessman and was identified as the prime suspect in the murder.
According to Blanhum, it has been established that Bascom is being “used” by an Essequibo businessman who has an ongoing feud with the city businessman.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police (ag), Clifton Hicken in opening remarks said the press conference was “necessary” since the allegations were made by a Sub-Ordinate officer. “This is not a constable. This is a Sergeant we are speaking of….We thought it is necessary to do what we are doing here, call a press conference to clear it up,” Hicken said.
No cover up
In a live video last Thursday which went viral, Bascom said he was one of the officers who arrived at the scene following the shooting of Fagundes.
According to Bascom, he and other officers were able to track the phone used by the prime suspect and the calls he made before and after the shooting. “….They use everything and destroy all the evidence but they forget how… technology does wuk,” Bascom said during the live feed.
Fagundes, who was a close friend of Khan, was riddled with bullets by two men outside Palm Court on the evening of Sunday, March 21, last year.
At the time of the attack, he was approaching a parked vehicle owned by Khan. An autopsy later confirmed that Fagundes was shot about 20 times about his body. Khan would later say he was the intended target of the attack. The police recovered 30 spent shells at the scene. Sixteen were from an AK-47 rifle, while the other fourteen were from a 9mm weapon.
To date, the murder remains unsolved. Bascom alleges that a police officer received $30 million as bribe to bury the matter.
Blanhum yesterday also denied claims about a police cover up in the Fagundes murder probe.
He said the force did have any equipment which can carry out the functions cited by Bascom. “Let me state clearly that the Guyana Police Force does not have any device to identify criminals at a crime scene as was falsely peddled by Bascom,” Blanhum said.
He stated that the force has one technical officer who has denied Bascom’s claims. “…He indicated that Bascom was never at the crime scene with him,” Blanhum added.
Further, Blanhum revealed that the GPF is receiving assistance from an international law enforcement agency in the Fagundes murder probe. “Several foreign experts visited the CID headquarters that is during the initial stage of the probe and provided valuable assistance to our investigators,” he told the press conference. This information was not revealed before to the public by the police.
Blanhum said items recovered from the crime scene were sent overseas for analysis. The police are still awaiting the results. “This is unknown to Mr Bascom,” Blanhum said.
Outcome
The GPF broke its silence on the allegations on Tuesday night when Hicken issued a statement to deride the Bascom claims and to paint him as compromised.
“Police Sergeant Dion Bascom, has, over recent days, made a number of public, wholly unsubstantiated allegations, which have been given wide media coverage; alleging police misconduct in the ongoing investigation of the murder of Ricardo Fagundes…..Sergeant Bascom’s public statements – made while serving as an active member of the Guyana Police Force – is in breach of the Code of Conduct of the Police Force. I have, as a result, ordered an immediate investigation of this matter by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR),” the statement said.
“The OPR has submitted the findings of their investigation along with their recommendations which is now before the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice,” it added.
It noted that Bascom has “refused” to submit himself to any investigation by the police of his public allegations and to provide any evidence in support of the allegations which he has made public.
Bascom is currently on sick leave.
During yesterday’s press conference, Hicken told reporters that Bascom’s status as a member of the force will be determined based on legal advice.
“OPR did an investigation and the file was submitted based on their findings. When we have the legal advice we are going to make that public,” Hicken said.
“I don’t prejudge issues. Policemen and women took and there is what we call ethical behaviour in law enforcement…There is a process, disciplinary process to deal with such a behaviour and so for that process to commence we await the findings or the legal advice of the DPP,” he explained.
Before any action is taken against a rank, Hicken said a process has to be followed. “If the process is followed and he is not found guilty so shall it be if the process and he is guilty so shall it be,” he noted.
