Female cops charged for deleting electronic data in fraud case

Apr 22, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – Two female police officers yesterday made their first court appearance after they were charged for deleting electronic data, which is relevant to a fraud case in relation to millions being misappropriated from the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Finance Department.

Charged: Constable Jenneka Carmichael (left) and Constable Tatyana Smith.

The defendants, Jenneka Carmichael of Lot 121 Onderneeming, West Coast Berbice, and Tatyana Smith, 21, of Lot 43 Third Street, Alberttown, Georgetown, both police constables, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.
The duo denied the charge, which alleges that between January 28, 2021 and February 4, 2021 at the Guyana Police Force’s headquarters, Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown, they intentionally and without lawful excuse or justification, deleted electronic data from the GPF’s computer that was in the administrative office of the Felix Austin Police College Mess.
According to the facts of the charge, Carmichael and Smith are clerks at the Felix Austin Police College. They were charged by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).
Last year an investigation was launched into the alleged misappropriation of $150M from the Police Finance Department. SOCU carried out the probe and several senior officials were either sent on leave or relocated. A few officers were already placed before the court for fraud charges.
However, it is alleged that before SOCU could have accessed the computers with the related data, the women had deleted the data. The women are said to be the only persons with access to the computers.
They were arrested and subsequently charged under the Cybercrime Act. Both defendants were placed on $150,000 bail and the matter was adjourned to May 6, 2021.

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