The police constable who was nabbed earlier last month with several Guyana passports in his home is expected to face disciplinary charges soon.
This is according to Deputy Police Commissioner and Crime Chief, Lyndon Alves, who told Guyana Times International on Sunday that this has to be done now that the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed such.
“He will be charged departmentally; it is a disciplinary charge that is under the Police Act and that is what he is being charged under…. Under this charge, if someone is found guilty then the Commissioner would determine the way forward.”
He stated that the investigation into the allegations levelled against the rank in question has been completed and at this point, the fate of that policeman is yet to be determined by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
“The person can be fined, can be dismissed, the person can be demoted. It depends on the discretion and nature of why he was charged”, the Crime Chief noted.
In early May, based on intelligence gathered by certain members of the GPF, ranks swooped down at the constable’s home and discovered a quantity of Guyanese issued passports.
The rank in question was said to have been at his workplace when other policemen confronted him about the accusation and he was subsequently placed under close arrest.
He was later placed under “open arrest” and still remained employed as a member of the GPF.
The Crime Chief had previously told this publication that while investigations into the matter had still been ongoing at that time, the duties of that policeman had been changed.
“He is still on the job since the investigation has not been completed as yet. But he is not at the Immigration [office]. He is now under open arrest.”
According to the Crime Chief, the police constable had initially been placed under “close arrest” where his freedom was restricted and he had been confined.
However, based on the investigations up to a few weeks ago and in keeping with the law when it relates to the rights of individuals who are being investigated for breaches or breaking the law, that has changed.
“Like I said, he is under open arrest but still we are investigating so I cannot say what the outcome is at this point. Open arrest is where you move around and you can perform your duties but there is still limited freedom. So at this point, he is performing duties assigned by the GPF but has been removed from the location where his alleged involved with the passports reportedly occurred,” Alves had explained.
