CCH, DSM Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police and Retired Chairman Police Service Commission
Dear Editor,
During the Police “Press Conference” which was called to “debunk” the explosive allegations made by detective Sergeant Dion Bascom that there is a cover-up by senior ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the investigation into the murder of Ricardo Fagundes aka “Paper Shorts”.
The Crime Chief, Assistant Commissioner Wendell Blanhum in an effort to discredit Bascom stated that contrary to Bascom’s claim, Rondell Bacchus, one of the earlier suspects in the murder, was taken to CID HQ by his lawyer. Bascom maintained that he took Bacchus to CID HQ following the issuing of a wanted bulletin.
On Saturday, August 20, HGPTV announced on social media that they will be airing an interview with Bacchus during the said evening.
The police in an apparent effort to get ahead of the interview released a photograph that showed Bacchus, in company with his lawyer, being interviewed at the CID HQ. The clear intention was to reinforce their claim that Bascom was untruthful when he stated that he took Bacchus to CID HQ.
This was a remarkable display of incompetence! How can the police believe that the release of that photograph will contradict Bascom’s claim that he was the one who took Bacchus to the CID HQ? Do they think the public is that gullible? I am of the view that the release was a display of desperation by the police which backfired spectacularly and lends further credibility to the allegations made by Bascom, and further erodes whatever little credibility the Crime Chief may have had. I say further, that if credibility is a diminishing commodity the Crime Chief is clearly in deficit.
The HGPTV interview with Bacchus was aired and he confirmed that it was Bascom who collected him from his home and took him to CID HQ. The Crime Chief should hang his head in shame; if he has any.
To me, the worrying aspect of this episode of the ongoing saga is that the person who heads the Criminal Investigations Department of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana’s premier investigating unit, seems incapable of conducting a basic investigation, which would have clearly revealed how Bacchus got to the CID HQ.
I repeat my earlier call for international help with the investigation into the brazen execution-style murder of Ricardo Fagundes and the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to inquire into the allegations made by Sergeant Dion Bascom.
The reason for the COI is to ensure that witnesses, including members of the public who may have relevant information, can be made to give evidence under oath. It should be clear by now that some of the main police actors have shown themselves to be pathologically mendacious making it imperative that any statement from them must be made under the threat of being charged with perjury should they not be candid. The COI will also have the power to subpoena documents and records.
The revelations by Sergeant Bascom have had the Guyanese public transfixed. Quite surprisingly, or maybe not, many persons, including the Minister of Home Affairs and the National Security Advisor have been extremely reticent on this issue which has serious national security implications.
Mr. Paul Slowe
CCH, DSM Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police and Retired Chairman Police Service Commission
