DPP advises SOCU to charge Brutus

After months of investigation, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has advised the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) to proceed to institute more than 240 charges against Assistant Police Commissioner (ag) Calvin Brutus.

Sources told the News Room on Wednesday night that the DPP recommended the charges. It is now for SOCU to act to arrest Brutus so that they can institute the charges and place him before the court.

Police ranks, including those from the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team, gathered outside Brutus’s residence Wednesday night.

SOCU is investigating financial crimes linked to Brutus amounting to approximately $800 million. Of this total, $300 million is said to be in assets and properties, while $500 million is currently held in frozen bank accounts.

This development comes about a week after SOCU completed its investigation and recommended the charges which stem from money laundering and other financial crimes.

Brutus is facing 240 charges related to significant financial misconduct and Nandlall believes he will go down as the highest-ranking officer in the Guyana Police Force to be implicated in such extensive fraud.

An affidavit filed by the head of SOCU Fazil Karimbaksh, revealed that in February 2024, Brutus purchased an $85 million property in Alberttown, Georgetown.

Brutus, who receives a monthly salary of $491,487, reportedly withdrew $63 million from his salary account to pay off the balance on the property, while an initial $21 million was paid months before.

In a recent court hearing, a High Court judge denied Brutus’ request to leave the country for medical care for his pregnant wife, Adonika Aulder.