The Home Affairs Ministry has called for a comprehensive review of access controls, personnel and procedures at the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Command Centre at Liliendaal following the alleged unauthorised access, extraction and disclosure of police surveillance footage. The Ministry, in a statement on Monday, said the breach was a matter of concern to both the Ministry and the national security services, noting that it could affect the confidentiality of law enforcement operations.
The matter is currently under police investigation. “The matter is now under police investigation, which must proceed on the evidence and in accordance with the law,” the Ministry said, adding that political office does not confer immunity from investigation and political affiliation cannot be a basis for prosecution.
The statement came another police rank, this time Police Constable Ashton Chappelle, 24, was charged under the Cybercrime Act in connection with the alleged downloading and transfer of surveillance footage from the GPF Command Centre. Chappelle, also known as “Chappy”, of Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara (ECD), appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts on Monday before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs, where he was charged with obtaining and giving electronic data relating to the national security of the State, contrary to Section 9(1)(b) and Section 9(2)(b) of the Cybercrime Act No. 16 of 2018.
The alleged offence occurred on October 24, 2026. Chappelle was arrested on Friday and charged on Monday. Bail was refused and he was remanded to prison. The matter will continue on November 24. His name surfaced during High Court proceedings last week involving United States (US)-sanctioned and indicted Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and Police Constable Ryan Greene, who are facing a separate but related Cybercrime Act charge concerning the alleged unauthorised release of police surveillance footage. During a habeas corpus application filed by Mohamed’s attorneys, Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, SC, told the High Court that Chappelle had been implicated in the investigation.
According to the disclosure, investigators allege that Chappelle admitted to downloading surveillance recordings from the GPF Command Centre, transferring them to a flash drive and handing the device to Greene.
The recordings reportedly relate to the October 12 shooting outside the Kitty, Georgetown, residence of Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Narine, Head of the Special Branch Unit and a witness in the extradition proceedings involving Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed. Greene, 20, of Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, and Mohamed, 39, of Houston, Greater Georgetown, were previously charged with unauthorised granting of access to or giving of electronic data, contrary to Section 9 of the Cybercrime Act. The prosecution alleges that Greene, who was attached to the Police Command Centre, obtained the surveillance recordings and supplied them to Mohamed in exchange for $800,000. The alleged transaction is said to have occurred on October 24.
Both Greene and Mohamed appeared before Magistrate Gibbs at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts on Friday and were denied bail. They were remanded to prison, with the matters set to continue on November 24.
During the bail hearing, Prosecutor King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani said investigators were pursuing additional evidence, including communication records between Mohamed and Greene, while efforts were also being made to locate Mohamed’s driver, Eugene Thorne. Ramdhani told the court that the prosecution’s case was supported by statements from Greene and other police ranks, as well as video footage which allegedly captured the extraction of data from the Police Command Centre. The prosecution maintained its objection to bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the ongoing investigation into possible additional offences.
Against this background, the Home Affairs Ministry said any conduct involving the unauthorised handling of sensitive information, if established, could compromise investigations, affect operational security and interfere with the administration of justice.
The Ministry said the situation also raised questions about compliance with standard operating procedures at the Command Centre and the safeguards in place to protect sensitive information. It has called for a review to determine the extent of the alleged breach and identify any failures in conduct or oversight.
The review is expected to examine personnel, access controls, supervisory arrangements and operational procedures at the facility. According to the Ministry, the findings will be used to strengthen security controls, improve supervision, enforce procedures and adopt measures to better protect sensitive information. The findings will also inform possible legislative reform.
The surveillance footage investigation stems from the wider probe into the October 12 shooting outside Narine’s residence. Mohamed, Thorne and videographer Mario Mohamed have separately been charged with unlawful possession of a .32 Taurus pistol and three rounds of ammunition without valid licences, as well as attempting to obstruct the course of justice. They have pleaded not guilty and were each granted $750,000 bail.
Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, were sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury in 2024 and are wanted in the US to face an 11-count indictment involving allegations of fraud, money laundering and other offences linked to an alleged gold-export scheme. Both men deny the allegations and are contesting their extradition proceedings.
Discover more from INews Guyana
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
