The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) of the Guyana Police Force has completed its investigation into the damning allegations made on social media by police sergeant Dion Bascom who implicated several high-ranking policemen in the cover-up of the murder of Ricardo Fagundes known as ‘Paper Shorts.’
Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken in a statement on Tuesday night said that the OPR has since submitted its findings and recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
The Top Cop also noted that Bascom refused to participate in the probe or provide any evidence to support his allegations.
“Sergeant Bascom has refused to submit himself to any investigation by the police of his public allegations, nor provide any evidence in support of the allegations which he has made public,” Hicken said.
Bascom, 33, was among five persons arrested on Monday last by ranks of the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) after three pounds of cocaine were found in a Norton Street, Georgetown, residence.
Though arrested, Bascom was not charged and was released by CANU but he went live on his Facebook page and made several damning allegations of corruption against the hierarchy of the Police Force as it relates to Fagundes’ murder.
Fagundes, a popular gold dealer and biker, was riddled with bullets on March 21, 2021, on Main Street, Georgetown, moments after he exited the Palm Court nightclub.
Bascom has since deleted the live video over fears about his family’s life.
But the Police Commissioner in his statement on Tuesday night described Bascom’s allegations as “wholly unsubstantiated.”
“It is not without significance that Sergeant Bascom found himself personally compromised during an exercise carried out by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit and that his public statement immediately followed this matter.
“Sergeant Bascom, at his request, is currently at home on sick leave,” the Top Cop said.
Hicken pointed out that Bascom’s “unfounded allegations” which implicate senior ranks are of “grave concern” but he was quick to highlight that it was done in breach of the Code of Conduct of the Force.
“Sergeant Bascom’s public statements – made while serving as an active member of the Guyana Police Force – is in breach of the Code of Conduct of the Police Force.”
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Mitchell Caesar, who was accused of being one of the corrupt cops, has written to Bascom demanding that he retracts the allegations, issue an apology and pay compensation for defamation in the sum of $50 million.
Among other things, Bascom claimed in a Facebook live video that Caesar was unprofessional in handling the police investigation and that he collected bribes in the sum of $30 million “fuh cover up this murder.”
Caesar said the wholly unhinged, expletive-laden and defamatory rant was libellous and slanderous.
In that same rant, Bascom has challenged Caesar and others named to take him to court over the statements which he says he stands by.
Caesar also wants Bascom to pay him monetary damages in a sum agreed upon within seven days; if not, Caesar has threatened to take the matter to Court where he will seek damages in the sum of $50 million.
Bascom was warned in the letter that his actions are also criminal as it breaches the Cyber Crime Act which may give rise to criminal charges.
