The Regional Security System (RSS) did not find any evidence of corrupt practices or an attempt to cover up the probe into the 2021 murder of Ricardo Fagundes, according to a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs last evening.
In the wake of chilling allegations made on August 11 by Police Detec-tive, Sergeant Dion Bascom, the RSS was invited by the Guyana Government to conduct an investigation of his claim that the Fagundes murder had been covered up to protect a businessman and that a large bribe had been paid.
The RSS report was not released by the government, instead the Ministry of Home Affairs prepared a release purporting to present the findings of the investigation.
Furthermore, observers have questioned from the onset of the RSS investigation how it would be possible to test Bascom’s claims unless it had spoken to him. Bascom was not spoken to by the RSS investigator and his request to President Irfaan Ali for witness protection has not been responded to.
In its release yesterday, the ministry said that government had made an official request for investigative services by the RSS’ Office of Professional Responsibility. As a result, a former Detective Chief Inspector of the Metro-politan Police Service, Serious and Organised Crime Command (United Kingdom) was deployed to provide assistance. The name of this person has not been provided by the ministry.
The ministry’s statement said that the main objectives of the report were as follows:
• To determine whether the GPF has effectively investigated the unlawful killing/ homicide of Ricardo Fagundes.
• To determine whether there is any evidence to support any wrongdoing by D/ Supt. Mitchell Caesar and Insp. Nigel Stephens of the GPF as alleged by Sergeant Dion Bascom.
• To review the investigation of the Fagundes case by the GPF and any actions taken by the investigating officers.
As a result, the ministry listed what it said was the following key findings of the RSS review.
It said that the bribery allegations made by Sergeant Bascom against the GPF, namely, that Detective Supt. Caesar and Inspector Stephens attempted to cover up the unlawful killing/ homicide of Fagundes “were hearsay having no provenance”.
The findings released by the ministry yesterday also attempted to discredit Bascom in the same manner as senior cops in the wake of his allegations on August 11.
The Ministry said: “Sgt. Bascom was arrested at a location where illegal drugs were found during a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit operation. He consequently made two live streams where he made further allegations and personal demands. The timing of these revelations causes one to question the veracity of his allegations. It was noted that his decision to make these live streams was in contravention of Section 19 (5) (a) of the Cyber Crime Act No. 16 of 2018 of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana where he used a computer system to transmit electronic data with intent to humiliate, harass or cause distress to D/ Supt. Mitchell Roach, D. Supt. Chabinauth Singh and Detective Sgt. Kester Cosbert and others”.
Charges have been prepared by the police against Bascom but have not yet been laid.
The ministry further said that the veracity of the allegations was “further undermined” by the fact that Sgt. Bascom was found to be living rent-free in a furnished property in the area of Essequibo belonging to an Essequibo businessman and gold trader.
The ministry said that it had further been found that Sgt. Bascom was also working as a personal security officer for the said Essequibo businessman.
“It is noted that Sgt. Bascom’s private employment as a security officer for the businessman was in direct contravention of Section 32 of the Police Act CAP 16:01 which prohibits members of the GPF from engaging in Trade or Business without the consent of the Commissioner of Police (COP). Further, Section 31 (1) prohibits the rank from holding any other office or employment for hire or gain”, the ministry said.
The ministry further said that Bascom has denied leaking information to the media as it relates to the ongoing investigations but that “there is evidence that he did contact the Press and this was confirmed to the police”.
On the key allegation by Bascom that the GPF tried to cover-up the unlawful killing/ homicide of Fagundes, the ministry said that there is evidence that the GPF has “diligently sought Regional and International assistance in solving this case”. Though the gunning down of Fagundes outside the Palm Court Restaurant and Bar occurred on March 21, 2021, there has been no discernible progress in the probe and the family of the deceased has said that the case appeared to have been abandoned. It only reappeared in the public eye following the allegations made by Bascom.
There are other parts of the Fagundes probe which critics have said do not appear to have been diligently pursued such as the ownership of the presumed getaway car which was found burnt at Dora on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
The ministry statement yesterday also said that an unnamed “close associate” of Fagundes, who was in his company just prior to his death, gave investigative officers inaccurate statements relating to the events on the night of the incident. The evidence obtained by the investigators revealed these inconsistencies.
“An example of this is the fact that, the close associate said that Fagundes was driving the vehicle on arrival at the location of the incident. However, CCTV records show that the said associate was the one driving. CCTV also show that his description of the movement of the vehicle, whilst in the area, was also inaccurate and he neglected to tell officers about the third person who arrived at the club with them in the vehicle”, the police said.
Furthermore, the ministry said that Bascom alleged that there was a device in the possession of the police which identified Mark Richmond’s cell phone as being at the scene of the unlawful killing/ homicide of Fagundes when it happened.
“However, the GPF’s technical officer ASP Rodwell Sarrabo has confirmed that the Police Force does not have any such technology and that Sgt. Bascom was never at the crime scene with him.
It is the opinion of the reviewing officer that the Guyana Police Force has done extensive work into the unlawful killing/ homicide investigation. There is no evidence to suggest that there was any attempt to cover- up this case and there is also no evidence of corrupt practices as alleged by Sgt. Bascom”, the statement said.
The statement was silent on Bascom’s assertion that he had been a part of the investigation into the murder of Fagundes. It was also silent on businessman Azruddin Mohamed who had sued Bascom over several allegations that he had made.
