TWO officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were, on Wednesday, charged by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for illegal data interference, after allegedly deleting electronic data from a computer, the property of the GPF. Special Corporal Carmichael and Constable Smith were hauled before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where

the charge of illegal data interference, contrary to Section 5(2)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2018, was read to them.
The particulars of the charge alleged that Carmichael and Smith, who worked in the administrative office of the Felix Austin Police College Mess, intentionally, and without lawful excuse or justification, deleted electronic data from the Guyana Police Force’s computer that was in the administrative office.
Acting on information received to the effect that falsified accounts were stored in the computer at the administrative office of the Felix Austin Police College Mess, SOCU conducted an investigation. However, before officers of the unit could have accessed the computer, all the “feeding account files” were deleted. Carmichael and Smith were the only ranks that operated the computer. They were represented by attorneys-at-law Ms. E. Stephen and Mr. B. Da Silva, respectively. They both pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of $150,000. The matter was adjourned to May 6, 2021.