Detective Sergeant Dion Bascom, who made explosive allegations of corruption in the Guyana Police Force (GPF), has been interdicted from duty and placed on half pay following his arraignment earlier in the month on cybercrime charges.
Acting Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken, in a September 16, 2022 letter seen by Stabroek News, informed Bascom of the decision.
“Pursuant to you being charged for the criminal offence to wit “Using a Computer system to humiliate a person” contrary to Section 19(5)(a) of the Cyber Crime Act No. 16 of 2018, you are hereby interdicted from duty and placed on half pay with effect from 2022-09-14, pending the determination of said criminal charge.
“All powers conferred on you by virtue of your office of Sergeant are taken away completely. You are forbidden to wear [your] uniform, exercise your office of Sergeant and you are not permitted to enter any Police Station or Compound except to make a report.
“Your failure to attend court and or to be available when summoned by the Guyana Police Force may result in you being absent from duty and may have consequences flowing therefrom,” the letter stated.
On September 4, Bascom was faced with the three cybercrime charges. The charges allege that on August 13, at Eve Leary, Georgetown, he used a computer system to transmit electronic data with intent to humiliate, harass or cause substantial emotional distress to Superintendent Mitchell Caesar. He was also charged with doing the same on August 19th at Hadfield Street to Superintendent Chabinauth Singh and the same to Superintendent Caesar.
He was granted his release on $100,000 bail on each charge.
Last month, in a widely seen Facebook live video Bascom claimed that a multi-million dollar bribe was accepted by a senior rank of the force to cover-up the murder of Ricardo Fagundes, also known as ‘Paper Shorts,’ while at the same time accusing the force of major corruption.
In that video and a subsequent one, Bascom had expressed his dissatisfaction at the way the force handled him and other ranks and described it as ‘mistreatment.’
Due to his allegations against the GPF, a review of the Fagundes murder probe was conducted by the Regional Security Service (RSS), which found no evidence of a cover up—an outcome questioned by his lawyer.
Businessman Azruddin Mohamed has also filed a more than $200 million lawsuit against Bascom, who he said defamed him regarding allegations about the killing of Fagundes.
After Bascom went public, his attorney, Nigel Hughes, wrote President Irfaan Ali asking for witness protection in keeping with the provisions under the Protected Disclosures Act. He had said he was fearful for his life. Hughes has said there has been no response to the request.
