-as standoff deepens
Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus last night broke his silence on sweeping allegations of procurement fraud and money laundering being investigated by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) saying that his businesses are legitimate and he has followed the law for all transactions done.
And as he expressed fear for his life given that a team of SWAT and other police showed up at his Eve Leary home yesterday to search it, Brutus who at one time was responsible for administration of the GPF also pointed to the excessive use of force.
“I intend to vigorously defend these matters because there is clear evidence that what is happening is a matter …of manipulation of evidence; fabrication of evidence, just to make out a case against me. Myself and team will defend all the allegations that are made and we are certain that we will be victorious,” he last night told reporters alongside his two attorneys and from the bridge of the Eve Leary apartments that he shares with other high ranking police officials. Also in the compound is the Police Officer’s Mess Hall and its Day Care.
Clad in a casual shirt and jeans, Brutus explained that he had just returned home after meeting his attorneys when he saw the police in the compound.
“On social media we saw a lot of allegations being swirled and this was leveraged to the current situation here. This whole exercise was one of a fishing expedition as we saw here tonight. The teams of SOCU and two teams of SWAT came to the apartment. We are working on some stuff, myself and the attorneys and I had just returned home. They were parked on the eastern side of the compound and as soon as I came in they pulled up. They indicated that they wanted to search; that they had a warrant for and they wanted the entire team to go inside. I invited them but just the person whose name is on the warrant,” he related.
“It showed clearly that they were not too keen or interested because they left. But I am concerned about the level of force displayed here tonight. There is no indication that I am a flight risk. If I was a flight risk, then I would have had used other options instead of going through the official ports to get out of the country and we are all aware of these ports that you can use,” he added.
The Assistant Commissioner said that for a case as his with the allegations leveled, he believed that SWAT showing up last night to search his home was uncalled for. “That is for high profile cases where the suspect or person of interest is expected to use violence against law enforcement officials and them,” he said.
He believes it was also “disproportionate and uncalled for. One person, Superintendent Singh alone could have entered the apartment. I am not hiding anything there.”
Asked if he feared for his life, he replied in the affirmative saying not only his but also those of his family. “Yes, because the statements made in the press at press conferences and otherwise and on persons social media page I am concerned indeed for my safety and family,” Brutus said.
When Stabroek News arrived at Eve Leary after 8 pm, teams of police and SWAT were in the Eve Leary compound of Brutus’ apartment. There was a period where there was some shouting among the officers and the teams shortly after sped off; in different directions. About 20 minutes after, they returned but did not reenter the compound and instead went to the Eve Leary base.
On the genesis of his companies, Brutus explained that he sought permission from the Police Commissioner to establish them and has only done business twice with the GPF, a contract for which he said he had the most responsive bid.
“The Establishment of the companies- in particular my company – I wrote requesting permission under the Police Act under Chapter 16:01. I received written permission to proceed to engage in trade and business and I proceeded thereafter to establish a company incorporated. My company has never done business directly with the police force but there are two transactions approved by the Commissioner …” he said.
“(My) wife’s company was established before mine and she has a sole trader and an incorporated (company) and she has been doing business in keeping with the laws of Guyana; compliances; submission of tax returns and all of that,” he added.
For the two contracts to the Police Consumers for supply and delivery of goods he was asked if he felt his price was higher and why it won. “I don’t think so. The prices are comparable to that of all the other suppliers. In fact there are some suppliers who were much higher than us,” he said.
Brutus said that the monies in his accounts are justifiable as earnings from his company and maintains that he “followed all the procedures”.
He is adamant that the operations are fishing expeditions and the public will understand why he was targeted. “It will come out in the constitutional case all those details will come out very soon,” he said.
Last week, Justice Gino Persaud refused an application by Brutus and his pregnant wife Adonika Aulder, made by their Attorney Earl Daniels for Brutus to accompany Aulder to the US for medical attention in view of revelations that there are 240 charges pending against him for money laundering and other serious financial crimes.
Among the disclosures, in an affidavit in response to Brutus’s application, was that the State through a High Court order had frozen some nine accounts held at Republic Bank, Demerara Bank and the New Building Society in the names of Brutus, his wife and their minor son Combined, those accounts hold $500 million accumulated over a period of one year.
The standoff between Brutus and the police has seen spinoffs and a flurry of allegations. Brutus has also moved to the court against government officials and senior members of the force. On October 16 Brutus moved to the court against the Attorney General, the Top Cop and others, arguing that he was being victimized in the ongoing investigation and being denied services including a restriction on his accounts.
An application lodged for Brutus also alleges a role for Cabinet in his being sent on leave and recounted an appearance in court where he was threatened with a wanted bulletin if he did not show up at the SOCU which is spearheading the probe. The affidavit also accused senior government officials of interference in the matter.
Brutus is seeking a number of declarations from the court including that the acting Commissioner of Police acted ultra vires on July 4th by transferring him from the position of Deputy Commissioner due to “political directives and improper administrative procedures”.
Also being sought by Brutus is a declaration that Cabinet acted ultra vires on July 11 when it instructed the acting Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken to send him on annual leave due to allegations of involvement in financial crimes.
Brutus is seeking a declaration that the rules of natural justice were violated as he was not afforded a fair opportunity to respond.
He further seeks a declaration that the Minister of Home Affairs acted ultra vires when he dispatched a letter to the acting Commissioner of Police dated August 21, 2024 for Brutus to proceed on leave on August 22.
On Tuesday, on his Facebook programme, Attorney General Anil Nandlall stated that the government will not interfere with the ongoing investigation.
Nandlall acknowledged the public’s skepticism regarding the impartiality of SOCU as many critics have expressed doubts about the police investigating one of their own.
“The contention was that the police cannot investigate themselves, especially since some officers at SOCU may have their own ‘bones in the closet,’” Nandlall said, referring to concerns over the unit’s ability to conduct a professional investigation.
Despite these criticisms, Nandlall emphasized that Brutus had chosen a confrontational approach by filing legal action against several key parties, including the Commissioner of Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs, SOCU, and the Attorney General’s Chambers.
“Brutus opted for a legal battle long before the investigation concluded,” Nandlall stated, suggesting that this move by Brutus prompted the disclosure of several critical pieces of information during court proceedings.
According to Nandlall, the court filings have revealed significant details about Brutus’s financial affairs, including the existence of seven bank accounts linked to him and his business activities. Nandlall disclosed that both Brutus’s and his wife’s bank accounts were frozen under Guyana’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation, with large sums of money found in those accounts. However, one account, from which Brutus draws his salary, remained unfrozen. Nandlall noted an unusual discovery with this account: “It held dozens of millions of dollars, representing years of unwithdrawn salaries.”
The Attorney General also dismissed Brutus’s claims that the state had acted unreasonably by freezing his accounts, thereby depriving his family of their livelihood. Nandlall pointed out that the court had already established that Brutus’s salary account was not frozen, and only after a closer examination of this account did authorities notice the significant balance had been withdrawn while the legal proceedings were still ongoing.
According to Nandlall, there are approximately 240 charges expected to be filed against Brutus, based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Once the charges are officially brought forward, Nandlall indicated that actions will need to be taken to remove Brutus from office, signaling that his dismissal is likely imminent. He also responded to claims from opposition figures and media outlets that the government is trying to cover up the matter. “With the volume of charges, the significant sums of money involved, and the transparency of the investigations, it’s difficult to understand these claims that nothing will come of this,” Nandlall said.
