Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus, alongside his wife Adonika Aulder, driver Kevin George, and businessman Asif Zafarally, appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. Facing a lengthy array of charges, the defendants were collectively granted bail exceeding $10 million.
Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty presided over the session, which began at 13:00 hrs and lasted nearly two hours. Brutus, who appeared in his police uniform, faced 30 of an anticipated 240 charges, including counts of misconduct in public office, larceny as a public officer, money laundering, and dereliction of duty as outlined under the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act. He was granted bail totaling over $6 million.
Brutus stands accused of exploiting his high-ranking role to misappropriate significant funds from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) with the alleged assistance of his wife and other accomplices. The charges primarily stem from financial dealings tied to the GPF and the Guyana Police Consumers’ Cooperative Society Limited (GPCCSL).
Prosecutors allege Brutus conspired with George, his long-serving driver, and Zafarally to defraud the GPCCSL of approximately $93.5 million over two occasions between June 29 and July 9, 2024.
The accusations detail that they collectively cashed two substantial cheques — one for $22 million and another for $71,482,950 — under the pretense of procuring goods that were never delivered.
Brutus also faces four separate misconduct charges. He allegedly ordered Superintendent Inspector Collins to prepare and cash a cheque in her name, amounting to $60 million, for supposed repairs to police infrastructure — repairs that never took place.
Additionally, Brutus is accused of instructing the same inspector to prepare a cheque for $20 million for undelivered supplies.
Bail for these misconduct charges was set at $300,000 per count.Adonika Aulder, Brutus’s 25-year-old pregnant wife, faced two money laundering charges, for which she was granted bail at $500,000 per count, totaling $1 million. Prosecutors allege Aulder obtained $352,082,315 in December 2023, depositing these funds into her company’s Republic Bank account despite knowing they were derived from illicit activities. Bail was set with a condition that she surrenders her passport.
Zafarally, a 34-year-old businessman and owner of an automotive and logistics company, faces similar allegations.
He was charged alongside Brutus and George, with bail set at $1 million. Zafarally also faces additional, related charges that have been transferred to the East Bank Magisterial District for further hearings in November.
The case will continue on November 18, when Brutus and his associates are expected to face additional charges.
