Brutus now on $17.25M bail for 252 charges

Nov 23, 2024 News

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…Sergeant and businessman also arraigned

Kaieteur News-Arraigned twice within one week, embattled Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus on Friday returned to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where he was slapped with 21 additional financial crime charges and released on $1.4M bail.

Friday’s charges took the total number of charges against him to 252, with a cumulative bail amount of $17.25 million. On Monday, Brutus faced 201 similar charges and was placed on $ 10.5 million bail. In an earlier court appearance, he faced 30 charges and was granted $6.2 million bail.

The assistant police commissioner on Friday faced new charges that included seven counts of conspiracy to commit a felony by obtaining money under false pretence, seven counts of misconduct in public office, and seven counts of liability of officials.

Also charged for similar financial crimes by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) were Police Sergeant Latoya Brummel and Businessman Corwin Nicholson. They were charged jointly with Brutus.

They all appeared in accompany of their lawyers; Yuborn Allicock, Eusi Anderson, Earl Daniels and Dominic Bess, before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty who presided over the case.

During the court proceedings, all charges were read to the accused, but they were not required to enter a plea. The charges primarily involve funds from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), totalling approximately $102 million. It is alleged that Brutus exploited his position as Assistant Police Commissioner to misappropriate money from the Force with the assistance of Sergeant Brummel and Nicholson.

Brutus, Brummel and Nicholson were jointly charged with seven counts of conspiracy to commit a felony with obtaining by false presentence. The charges allege that between December 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024, at GPF headquarters Eve Leary, Kingston Georgetown, the trio with intent to defraud the State, conspired with each other to collect $14,395,000, $14,851,000, $14,654,050, $14,805,000, $14,535,000, $14,054,600, and $14,725,000 on several occasions from GPF for goods that were never supplied.

Brummel, 37, served 10 years as a police sergeant, while Nicholson, 47, is a contractor based in Lethem, Region 9. Both Brummel and Nicholson were each granted $700,000 bail with $100,000 set for each of the seven charges that was requested by the prosecution.

Attorney Anderson asked that bail be reduced but his request proved futile as Magistrate McGusty wanted to impose a higher amount than what the prosecution had suggested. “I was surprised by when you (prosecution) said $100,000 because my implications were much higher…be very grateful,” Magistrate McGusty said.

Nicholson also faced seven individual charges related to obtaining money by false pretences. He was granted $1.05 million bail, with $150,000 set for each charge. The prosecution did not oppose bail for the offences.

The most charges were read to Brutus, who remained calm and composed throughout the proceedings. Among the charges, Brutus faces seven counts of misconduct in public office. These charges allege that while serving as Deputy Commissioner (Administration) at the GPF headquarters, Brutus instructed Finance Officer and Superintendent of Police Bharat Persaud to prepare Bank of Guyana cheques on several occasions between December 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024, totalling $102,019,600. The cheques were allegedly made payable to Corwin Nicholson of 3D Construction to provide a large quantity of boots, pointed stars, handcuffs, handcuffs casings, uniform cloth among other items, knowing the items were not supplied or delivered to the GPF with any reasonable excuse. For these offences, Brutus was granted $350,000 bail with $50,000 set for each of the charges.

He also faced seven counts of liability of officials while serving as Deputy Commissioner (Administration), Brutus allegedly made the opportunity to Nicholson through his business to defraud the State of Guyana $102M between December 1,2023 and January 31, 2024. For these charges, he was granted an additional $350,000 bail, with $50,000 for each of the seven counts.

The prosecution did not object to bail for either of the offences but suggested a bail amount of $300,000 per charge for the misconduct in public office charges, and $50,000 for the liability of officials charges.

Brutus and his co-accused are scheduled to return to court on January 31, 2025.

(Brutus now on $17.25M bail for 252 charges)

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• additional charges, bail, Calvin Brutus, court, financial crime

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