Police officer charged in Guyana as probe continues into leaked surveillance footage

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The police in Guyana have charged another of their colleagues as investigations into the “alleged unauthorised access to, extraction, and disclosure of surveillance footage from the Guyana Police Force Command Centre”, linking Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, widened.

Police said Constable Ashton Chappelle, 24, has been charged with obtaining and giving electronic data relating to the national security of the state, in contravention of the Cyber Crime Act.

The police constable, who was arrested last Friday, has since been remanded to prison after appearing at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs on Monday.

He is the second police officer to be charged in connection with the alleged downloading and removal of the video recordings.

The other officer is Ryan Greene, who, along with Mohamed, was denied bail last week and remanded to prison until November 24.

Meanwhile, police in riot gear were called out to the Magistrates’ Court on Monday evening to quell a protest by supporters of the Opposition Leader who were demanding his release from prison.

The group had gathered outside the courthouse since early morning as Mohamed made his appearance. When they realised that Mohamed was being taken back to prison later in the day, some of the protesters pushed down the police barricade, forcing the lawmen to fire tear gas and pellets at them.

Many of the persons ran in the direction of Stabroek Market, and moments later, a small fire was seen at the front of the market.

The Guyana Police Force has since warned that riotous behaviour will not be encouraged and that persons will face public terror charges for any illegal action.

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