By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly |
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Breaking days of intense institutional silence following widespread public and political condemnation, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond and executive leadership of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have officially confirmed that a specialized investigative team has been empaneled to probe allegations of rape and threatening behavior leveled against Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head of the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), Fizal Karimbaksh.
Addressing the matter publicly, Minister Walrond affirmed that she holds a “strong view” that Karimbaksh should be placed on administrative leave immediately while the probe is conducted.
However, despite the Minister’s stance, Karimbaksh remains at the helm of SOCU, as the absence of a duly constituted Police Service Commission (PSC) has introduced constitutional uncertainty about the legal authority to suspend or interdict a sitting Deputy Commissioner.
Investigative Protocol: Statements, Corroboration, and Confrontation
Minister Walrond confirmed that the serving female Police Inspector who lodged the complaint has tendered an exhaustive sworn statement detailing multiple non-consensual sexual encounters and armed threats:
- Investigative Team Empaneled: Following formal briefings from the Commissioner of Police, a designated investigative team was activated to take over the docket.
- Scope of Inquiry: The probe encompasses collecting corroborative witness depositions, interrogating and taking a cautioned statement from the accused senior officer, and staging a formal investigative confrontation between the complainant and Karimbaksh.
- Administrative Safeguards: Civil society groups, legal advocates, and political organizations—including the Forward Guyana Movement—have demanded that Karimbaksh be physically removed from his office to prevent witness tampering, administrative reprisal, or institutional interference.
“The investigation would include getting statements from the other persons from who they think might be appropriate to get statements from, and statements from the accused who is Deputy Commissioner Karimbaksh, and to hold a formal confrontation,” Minister Walrond detailed.
The Administrative Leave Stalemate: Constitutional Impasse Over the PSC
Addressing mounting public frustration over why a senior commander accused of indictable sexual crimes remains on active duty, Minister Walrond identified a constitutional roadblock:
- The Ministerial Position: Walrond affirmed that maintaining institutional integrity requires Karimbaksh to step aside while detectives conclude their findings.
- Defunct Commission: Under the Constitution of Guyana, the disciplinary oversight and interdiction of gazetted police officers above the rank of Inspector falls exclusively under the purview of the Police Service Commission. With the commission currently unconstituted, statutory power to remove a sitting Deputy Commissioner is contested.
- Consultations with Top Cop: Walrond indicated that resolving the stalemate requires urgent consultations between her office and the Commissioner of Police to navigate the administrative void.
“It is my view, and I hold this strong view, that he should go, be sent on administrative leave pending the investigation,” Minister Walrond stated.
“Barring the fact that it [the Police Service Commission] is not currently constituted, I would assume that it would have to be in the hands of… it is a discussion we need to have with the Commissioner and myself.”
GPF Statement: Pledging Impartiality and Due Process
Late Friday, Police Headquarters issued an official statement ending its blackout on the allegations:
- Acknowledgment of Complaint: The Force formally acknowledged receipt of an official report detailing allegations of rape and threatening behavior involving a senior gazetted officer.
- Assurance of Impartiality: Police Public Relations assured the public that the Force is handling the allegations with the utmost seriousness, insisting that the inquiry will be conducted professionally, objectively, and in full adherence to established statutory regulations.
- Commitment to Due Process: The Force said the investigative framework will safeguard due process for both the complainant and the accused, promising to release additional disclosures as the case advances.
Public focus now centers on whether emergency executive mechanisms will be used to place Karimbaksh on leave before the investigative confrontation is staged.
