Police force, home affairs minister break silence on rape allegation against deputy police commissioner

Last Updated on Saturday, 3 October 2026, 11:00 by Writer

Almost one week after a female inspector of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) filed a complaint that she was the victim of a sexual offence allegedly committed by the head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), deputy police commissioner Fizal Karimbaksh, that law enforcement agency and the home affairs ministry broke their silence.

The police force said he was also accused of threatening the inspector who up to recently was stationed at SOCU.

The force said police commissioner Clifton Hicken has since “established a team to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations.”

For several days, the Joint Services WhatsApp media group, which includes home affairs minister Oneidge Walrond and police commissioner Clifton Hicken, had been inundated with questions from the media about the allegations against Mr Karimbaksh.

However, no answers were provided.

The GPF’s public relations officer did not respond to further questions on the matter afer Friday’s statement, but earlier in the day the home affairs minister appeared on a pro-government interview programme and named Mr Karimbaksh.

She related on the programme that the female inspector has been assigned to another office in the police force, and that the SOCU chief should proceed on leave.

“I hold this strong view that he should go, be sent on administrative leave pending the investigation,” said Ms Walrond, a lawyer and former magistrate.

The minister said she and the police commissioner would have to deal with that because the Police Service Commission was yet to be reconstituted.

Ms Walrond said the investigation would entail getting statements from other persons and the accused, who was the deputy commissioner Karimbaksh, and then to hold a formal confrontation with the complainant.

The GPF sought to assure the public that the allegations are being treated with the seriousness they warrant and that the investigation will be conducted professionally, impartially and in accordance with established procedures.

“The Force remains committed to ensuring that the investigative process is allowed to proceed fairly and that due process is afforded to all parties involved,” the police force said.