Opposition Leader Mohamed arrested in $800,000 police bribery probe, Guyana

Azruddin Mohamed was arrested Wednesday over an alleged $800,000 bribe to a police constable for CCTV footage. A constable from the Command Centre was also detained.

Opposition leader held over alleged bribe for surveillance footage

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed was arrested on Wednesday for questioning over an alleged $800,000 payment to a Police Constable to obtain surveillance footage from the Safe Country System, newsroom.gy reports.

Crime Chief and Deputy Commissioner Wendell Blanhum confirmed the arrest. "I can confirm that Mr Azruddin Mohamed was arrested," Blanhum told the News Room when contacted for comment.

The constable involved, attached to the Guyana Police Force's Command Centre, was also arrested. He is believed to have disclosed the footage in exchange for the money.

Mohamed was arrested at Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

The arrests follow Mohamed's public release of the footage at a press conference on Monday, October 26, in which he sought to support his account of an October 12 incident involving Special Branch head Prem Narine. Mohamed has described that incident as an assassination attempt against him.

The shooting took place outside Narine's residence. Police allege that Mohamed and two associates were involved in conduct that led to criminal charges. Mohamed and the two associates have already been charged in connection with that October 12 incident and granted bail — proceedings separate from the current bribery investigation.

On Tuesday night, Attorney General Anil Nandlall said Mohamed could face further criminal charges following allegations that he paid the constable to obtain footage linked to an ongoing criminal case.

Earlier that same Tuesday, police visited Mohamed's residence and requested that he report to the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters for questioning about an alleged corrupt transaction. An employee at the residence indicated that Mohamed wished investigators to contact his attorneys, according to reports of the encounter.

Source: Google News GY — Crime