An assistant commissioner of police in Guyana charged with more than 200 financial crime charges has been released on bail.
Calvin Brutus was released on GUY$10.5 million (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents) bail when he appeared in a court in the Caricom country on Monday,
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In October, the embattled top cop, his pregnant wife Adonika Aulder, a police sergeant, and a businessman appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts accused of committing numerous charges related to serious financial crimes and other offenses.
Brutus, 44, an attorney with 25 years of service in the Guyana Police Force, then faced 30 charges, including money laundering, obtaining money by false pretense, misconduct in public office, liability of officials, and larceny by public official.
He was granted bail in the sum of GUY$6.2 million on the 30 indictable charges when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty
But as a result of his appearance in court on Monday, Brutus now faces a total of 231 charges.
Accompanied by a team of lawyers, and based on a request from the lawyers and in an effort to save time, the details of all of the charges were not read individually to Brutus. Instead, the acting Chief Magistrate informed the court that there are a total of 201 new charges.
Brutus was not required to plead to the charges with the prosecution informing the court that the state will be proceeding with the charges indictable.
In their application for bail, Brutus’ lawyers reminded the court that he was already placed on $6.2 million on the previous charges that were laid by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU).
But the prosecution asked that Brutus be placed on a substantial bail, particularly considering the amount of money involved in the cases. The prosecution also reminded the court that the investigation also resulted in frozen bank accounts.
Brutus is set to appear in court again on January 17, 2025. (CMC)
