The Police Service Commission (PSC), an independent constitutional body tasked with overseeing the discipline of senior officers in the Guyana Police Force, has convened a tribunal to investigate serious allegations against Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Calvin Brutus.
The Tribunal, in a statement issued by Hugh Park, Secretary, said the inquiry was set in motion under the powers granted by the Constitution and the Police (Discipline) Act, and will address accusations of misconduct and discreditable conduct during Brutus’ tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Police.
The tribunal, chaired by Ms. Shoshanna V. Lall and supported by members Mr. Keoma Griffith and Mr. Seelall Persaud, was appointed by the PSC to review the case. The charges stem from two major allegations: one involving unauthorised financial transactions and another involving the falsification of records within the Guyana Police Force.
According to the charges, on January 11, 2024, Brutus allegedly authorised the payment of goods worth over $13.6 million from the Guyana Police Force’s Welfare Fund, allegedly in violation of established protocols.
Additionally, during December 2023, Brutus is accused of directing the falsification of records to show that goods worth $101.4 million were delivered to the police force, which allegedly led to fraudulent payments.
These disciplinary matters come in the wake of ongoing criminal charges against Brutus, which are currently before the Magistrate’s Court. The Tribunal has stated it will avoid interfering with the ongoing criminal proceedings but will proceed with its internal inquiry in line with the Police (Discipline) Act.
In an unexpected turn, Brutus failed to appear at the Tribunal’s first hearing on January 22, 2025, despite being summoned. His absence was attributed to a medical certificate claiming he was unfit for work due to back pain.
However, the Tribunal summoned Brutus’s doctor for further clarification, and upon review of the evidence, the doctor reportedly informed that Brutus’ “current condition does not incapacitate him mentally or confine him to bed.”
The Tribunal said it then issued a fresh summons for Brutus to appear the following day- January 23, 2025- but once again, he reportedly failed to show up. The Tribunal said Brutus’ non-appearances are viewed “as flagrant and clandestine efforts to avoid appearing before the Tribunal to answer to the disciplinary charges.”
As of now, the Tribunal has reissued a summons for Brutus to appear on Monday January 27, 2025, and has made it clear that the ACP will be expected to appear, virtually or in person. The Tribunal’s proceedings are expected to wrap up within 28 days from January 22, 2025, unless extended by the PSC.
The tribunal said it hoped the proceedings can be completed within a reasonable timeframe to allow the Tribunal to deliberate and prepare its report in writing and submit same to the PSC as its Terms of Reference require.
This disciplinary inquiry is a crucial moment for the Guyana Police Force, with the outcome holding significant implications for Brutus’s career and the Force’s integrity. The Tribunal has stressed that it will proceed with full respect for the rule of law and principles of natural justice, ensuring that all due process is followed.
