General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has called out his opposition counterparts for their flip-flopping on the matter involving a senior cop’s alleged involvement in financial crimes.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Calvin Brutus and his pregnant wife, Adonika Aulder, along with two others, were charged on Thursday with allegations of financial impropriety. The charges stem from the discovery of hundreds of millions of dollars found in several accounts belonging to the Brutuses.
The matter first came up earlier this year, with both the government and the opposition airing concerns over the discovery. ACP Brutus proceeded on leave. The main parliamentary Opposition, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) is on record expressing concerns over a coverup, reinforcing its four-year claim that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is heavily politicised.
Leaders from both opposition sects called for an independent probe. Others aligned with the opposition even called for the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to take the lead on the investigation, also expressing lack of confidence in the police force’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) to conduct an impartial investigation.
Now that the cop is staring down more than 200 charges, filed a constitutional motion against the government, and is now reportedly has “secrets” to spill, these very commentators who expressed concerns of a potential coverup, have taken the cop’s side.
At least this is according to Jagdeo, who delivered a stinging rebuke during a press conference today. The VP said that when other opposition leaders were calling for external probes and other things, they were allowed to do so. However, when he began to show disdain for the alleged actions of Brutus, calls were made against him to desist because his utterances as a high-ranking government official could possibly influence the investigation. But the VP said all he has ever communicated is that the “chips will fall as they may”, while reiterating that the ACP will have his day in court to speak.
“They said SOCU is susceptible to political pressure and will not be able to conduct an independent investigation. Now that SOCU has conducted an independent investigation and has recommended over 240 charges, suddenly they’re saying that I must not comment on the matter?”
Jagdeo said that the opposition’s alleged flipflopping is an indication of its disbelief that the cop could have been charged. In fact, the VP said that the opposition perhaps expected a cover up. Since that did not happen, the VP said that the opposition has now changed its line of attack to side with the ACP.
He continued, “They and the others cannot believe that you could have an impartial investigation… So, they can’t believe that. Now they don’t want me to speak. They’re taking Brutus’ side.”
