Crime Chief confirms Detective Sgt. was threatened by murder suspect but says CID don’t investigate threats

Aug 18, 2022 News

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“Paper Shorts” murder…

– Says that it is not their duty to investigate such allegations

By Shervin Belgrave

Kaieteur News – Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Wednesday confirmed that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was aware of a report lodged at the Brickdam Police Station alleging that police Sergeant Dion Bascom was threatened by a suspect wanted for the March 2021 murder of Ricardo Fagundes better known as “Paper Shorts”.

Blanhum even admitted that despite having knowledge of this, Bascom’s superiors, including himself, did nothing to assure the detective.

He made the comments at a news conference held at the Commissioner of Police’s Conference Room on Wednesday. “The CID do not investigate threats. So a report as I was told was made at the Brickdam Police Station…Whether Mr. Bascom followed up on his report at the police station, I don’t know.”

Blanhum was at the time responding to a question on whether or not he and others at CID can confirm that Bascom made a report of being threatened by a suspect in the murder investigation.

He was careful not to mention the name of the suspect but responded, “First and foremost, the information that I have received, Bascom claimed that an individual called him and said if you want me, come and get me at “XYZ” place… whether that is a threat or not, I won’t be able to say”.

The Crime Chief then added that his detectives would receive threats all the time and it is the Force’s Standing Operating Procedure for them to lodge an occurrence.

Blanhum also confirmed Bascom’s claim that his superiors were indeed the ones who had advised him to make a report after complaining to them about the threats.

Kaieteur News had initially reported in February this year that an arresting officer and some other ranks were threatened by a suspect in the Fagundes’ murder case, after they had gone to arrest him on three occasions.

That suspect was identified as “Shop Man”, a security guard that works with a prominent business establishment located in central Georgetown.

When the media reports about the threats surfaced, Kaieteur News learnt that the threatened cop was taken off the case and transferred to another location.

Back then, the Crime Chief had said that the cop was among a group of ranks who were promoted and because of his ascension in the Force, he was transferred.

Sources had contested this and related that after the report surfaced, Bascom was accused of leaking out information to the media that could jeopardize the case.

Months later, in a ‘Facebook Live,’ Bascom identified himself as the cop who was threatened and identified “Shop Man” as Mark Richmond, a security guard with Mohamed’s Enterprise. He sought clarity too that he had not gone to arrest the suspect on three occasion but only once and alleged that the man had told him to stop looking and asking people for him.

The company had later confirmed that indeed Mark Richmond is a part of its security team but not the head of the security operations as Kaieteur News had initially reported.

Bascom had made these revelations, while accusing his superiors at CID of setting him up in a recent drug bust at Norton Street simply because he had accused them of accepting a bribe to cover-up the case.

Bascom had named one of the superiors as Superintendant Mitchell Caesar and publicly accused the senior cop of collecting a $30M bribe to destroy evidence.

As it relates to the murder investigation, Bascom gave details alleging how the superiors were covering up the case.

He claimed that with the use of technology, he and some other ranks had managed to place Mark Richmond at the crime scene on the night “Paper Shorts” was murdered.

Fagundes was reportedly gunned down around 21:00hrs on Main Street by two men seen on a CCTV camera emerging from the back of a white tinted Toyota Fielder.

According to Bascom, phone records had also showed that Richmond was in contact with prominent businessman, Azruddin Mohamed around the time of the killing. When this information was related to the superiors, they allegedly never acted on it.

Blanhum and his detectives at Wednesday’s press conference called Bascom’s allegations false and even moved to debunk the claims implicating Mohamed in the murder and placing the suspect at the crime scene.

The Crime Chief said that the Force is not in possession of any device or technology that could make such discoveries.

He went on further to state that the other investigator who the one was allegedly using the technology while Bascom was present has since made a statement denying the claims.

Meanwhile the acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken upheld a statement he had made on Tuesday evening calling Bascom’s allegations of an alleged police cover-up unfounded.

In that statement, Hicken said that Bascom never submitted himself for an investigation or provided any evidence to back up his accusations.

In fact, the investigation by Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) was focused only on Bascom’s alleged breach of the police’s code of conduct… And according to Hicken, the findings with recommended charges has already been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) SC. Shalimar Hack for legal advice.

However, Kaieteur News understands that Bascom was reluctant to cooperate with the OPR investigation or submit any evidence because the same individuals he has accused of the cover-up are tasked with the responsibility of reviewing the case file before sending it to the DPP.

The businessman, who he implicated in “Paper Shorts” murder, the suspect he accused of threatening him and the police superintendant he claimed covered-up the case for $30M, have threatened millions in lawsuits for defamation of character.

In response, Bascom publicly stated that he stands by his allegations and is prepared to defend himself in court.

His lawyer, Nigel Hughes has since written a letter to President Mohamed Irfaan Ali requesting witness protection for his client.

Ali at sidelines of an event on Wednesday said that he did not read Hughes’ letter but is not against granting Bascom protection if it is needed.

As investigation continues into the murder case, Blanhum and his team assured the media that his detectives have been working along with international partners to crack the Fagundes’ murder case.

Fagundes  was on March 21 riddled with more than 21 bullets just moments after sharing a drink with a close friend and other associates at a popular bar on Main Street.

Investigators had told Kaieteur News that they were able to trace the car used in the hit from North Road to Main Street prior to the shooting.

They also suspect that a burnt out car found at along the Soesdyke /Linden Highway after the hit was the same one captured driving away from scene after Fagundes was still lying in a pool of blood on Main Street.

In recent developments, more allegations were brought to Kaieteur News’ attention that detectives were reportedly tipped off by an informant about a suspected driver of the getaway car but they never made any arrests.

That suspect Kaieteur News understands later landed in hot water and was remanded for illegal gun possession and ammunition. It is unclear if he was ever questioned or if he still remains behind bars and at Wednesday’s press conference, detectives did not speak on these new allegations.

 

 

 

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