Assistant Police Commissioner, three others charged with fraud

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kevin Adonis, along with three other ranks of the Guyana Police Force, appeared before the Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan on Friday charged in connection with a multimillion-dollar fraud committed in the Police Finance Department.

Adonis, Sergeants Michael Corbin and Jermaine Fraser along with Corporal Rawl Haynes, were not required to enter a plea; they were released on $150,000 bail each.

The charge against the four officers alleged that between March 26, 2019, and March 29, 2019, at Georgetown, they conspired with persons unknown, and stole $19,030,767, property of the Guyana Police Force.

Corbin was charged separately with another offence which alleged that on March 26, 2019, at the Guyana Police Force, Finance Office, Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown, he input electronic data, that is to say, a payment voucher entry in the sum of $19,030,767, with the intent, that it is considered authentic by the Ministry of Finance Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS). He was released on $100,000 bail for this offence.

Haynes was also charged separately for another offence which alleged that on March 29, 2019, at Georgetown, while being a public officer, employed by the Guyana Police Force, he stole $19,030,767, belonging to the said Police Force. He was released on $50,000 bail.

Assistant Commissioner Adonis was represented by attorney-at-law, Mark Waldron, while Corbin was represented by Patrice Henry. Fraser was represented by attorney-at-law, Latchmie Rahamat while Haynes was represented by attorney-at-law, Dexter Todd.

The case was adjourned to April 12, 2021. The matter was prosecuted by Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Prosecutor, Leslyn Nobel.

Last year, Corbin and Fraser were arraigned before a City Magistrate for falsification of accounts committed on the GPF by falsely entering $12,565,000 in the Integrated Financial Management and Information System without the existence of payment vouchers. This offence reportedly occurred on April 4, 2019, at Eve Leary. They were released on $250,000 bail then.

In 2020, SOCU launched an investigation against the police finance department following a report of missing monies.