Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Fazil Karimbaksh, has denied the authenticity of a recording published by journalist Leroy Smith, in which a man offers a complainant $5 million to withdraw her account.
Hours after the recording’s release, Karimbaksh’s attorney, Rizwaun Mohamed, issued a statement describing it as AI-generated and denying that his client made the remarks attributed to him.
Smith subsequently said his media outlet, Big Smith News Watch, stood by its publications and was prepared to defend them in court. The Alliance For Change (AFC), meanwhile, has called for Karimbaksh to be placed on leave and for an independent investigation into the rape allegations.
In his October 27 statement, Mohamed rejected the recording on Karimbaksh’s behalf.
“Our client vehemently rejects the recording as an authentic account of a conversation involving him and denies making the statements attributed to him,” the attorney stated.
“The said AI generated material falsely reproduces his voice.”
Mohamed said the allegations against Karimbaksh must be addressed through a thorough, fair and impartial investigation, free from interference, speculation and prejudgment. He argued that repetition or widespread circulation did not establish the recording’s authenticity.
In its separate statement, dated October 28, the AFC called for Karimbaksh’s immediate placement on leave as a precaution to protect the investigation’s integrity.
“Given the seriousness of these allegations and his senior position within the Guyana Police Force, it is imperative that the authorities act swiftly to protect the integrity of the investigative process and maintain public confidence in the justice system,” the party said.
It called for an independent investigation free from political or institutional interference, with the complainant’s rights, dignity and privacy protected throughout.
The party also stressed that due process must be respected and that the investigation should be guided by evidence, fairness and the rule of law.
The developments follow uncertainty over Karimbaksh’s leave status. Police announced on October 8 that he had been sent on leave pending an investigation into allegations of rape and threatening behaviour made by a female police inspector.
However, subsequently Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken withdrew an October 7 leave letter after further consideration of the constitutional and legal authority governing the office of Deputy Commissioner. That letter had concerned vacation leave prior to retirement, commencing November 8.
Karimbaksh’s attorney had also challenged an alleged instruction preventing him from entering his office.
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