DEPUTY Commissioner of Police and Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Fazil Karimbaksh, has filed a multi-million-dollar defamation lawsuit against journalist Leroy Smith, seeking damages in excess of $600 million.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the High Court of Georgetown, accuses Smith of publishing a series of defamatory statements across multiple online platforms aimed at damaging the senior officer’s reputation.

According to the statement of claim, Smith, who operates the widely followed Big Smith News Watch and its associated Facebook page, made a number of posts and articles allegedly questioning Karimbaksh’s leadership of SOCU and alleging unethical conduct within the Guyana Police Force.

The filing alleges that these statements were “false, malicious, and calculated to embarrass [Karimbaksh], injure his standing, and undermine his authority within the Guyana Police Force.”

Karimbaksh is seeking $100 million in damages for each of six separate publications, in addition to an injunction preventing Smith from making further defamatory statements.

He is also asking the court to compel Smith to remove all offending content from his online platforms.

In the suit, the Deputy Commissioner said the publications have caused him “considerable hurt, distress, and embarrassment,” exposing him to reputational harm both in public and within his professional circles.

The statement further claims that the defamatory posts have caused members of the public and his subordinates to question his competence, character, and integrity.

Smith was served with court documents on Friday at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary by a High Court Marshal. This service reportedly came after three months of evasion, during which Smith allegedly avoided being served.

According to legal procedure, Smith now has 42 days to file a defence. Should he fail to respond within the stipulated timeframe, the court may rule in Karimbaksh’s favour by default.

Karimbaksh’s attorneys had earlier issued a letter demanding a public apology and retraction, warning that legal action would follow if the journalist did not comply.

In a pointed comment included in the court filing, Deputy Commissioner Karimbaksh signalled that more lawsuits will be forthcoming, stating that further action will be taken over what he described as “recent malicious and disrespectful publications” by Smith.