PEOPLE’S Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has shot down several claims made by Assistant Commissioner of Police Calvin Brutus, who is on administrative leave and facing more than 200 charges for alleged financial crimes.
During a press conference at Freedom House on Thursday, the General Secretary addressed the alleged G$1.6 billion lawsuit by Brutus, who claims that he was racially discriminated against under the diversity policy of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Jagdeo said that up to Thursday at midday, the Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., said that no court document had been served.
With Brutus facing more than 200 charges, and the document not reaching the AG, the General Secretary concluded: “So, it’s for PR purposes, I think”.

As reported in different sections of the media, Brutus alleged that he was removed from the acting position of Deputy Police Commissioner for Administration and sent to head Special Branch, the intelligence gathering arm of the law enforcement agency.

There have been claims that the Police Commissioner informed him that Jagdeo directed that Brutus be transferred to Special Branch to allow Assistant Commissioner Ravindradat Budhram to gain experience in Administration.
“There have been no such directives; I never met with the Commissioner of Police. I never asked him to replace Brutus as Head of Admin,” the General Secretary said, while vehemently denying the claim of racial discrimination.

However, what Jagdeo revealed is that a large number of persons have complained about inefficiency while Brutus was running the department.
“Large numbers of people kept coming to me and saying we can’t get paid,” the General Secretary said, while stating that he wished persons had come earlier to vent their complaints.

With other allegations mounting against Brutus, Jagdeo said: “I have no apology, and we have no apology for his removal from head of the admin. This was not discrimination.”
Additionally, the General Secretary said that Brutus’ attempt to refashion his image as a “clean, upstanding” officer is contrary to the particulars of the charges being levied against him and these efforts are to get himself out of hot water.

Brutus is currently facing over 200 criminal charges in relation to financial misconduct involving more than $800 million.
Brutus and his co-accused, including his wife, Adonika Aulder, face serious allegations of money laundering, which, if proven, could see them facing lengthy jail time and hefty fines.
Prosecutors allege that Brutus used his position as acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration) to divert public funds into questionable projects, with a significant portion allegedly redirected for personal gain.
After reading some of the charges, Jagdeo said that Brutus will get a chance to answer to his charges in court and the General Secretary maintained: “This had nothing to do with race.”

The sudden change of stance by the Opposition, which once criticised the Brutus investigation was pinpointed to by the General Secretary, who deemed it as “shameful”.
Jagdeo then highlighted the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition’s period of governance from 2015 to 2020, when several significant issues emerged within the GPF, raising concerns about its conduct, accountability and corruption allegations.
However, Jagdeo said that this would not occur under the PPP/C administration.

“One thing about us, even if you perceive yourself to be close to the PPP, regardless of your race, if you’re Indo-Guyanese, Afro-Guyanese or anyone else; if don’t do what you’re supposed to do, whether you’re paid to do it; if you deprive the people of this country, as done in this case, then you will bear responsibility for it. That’s the way we will manage this country,” the General Secretary said.