Opposition Leader and Police Constable remanded to prison over leak of surveillance video recordings and bribery claims

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and Police Constable Ryan Greene were both refused bail and remanded to prison this afternoon after being slapped with charges related to the leak of Police CCTV video recordings and alleged bribery.

The matter was called late this afternoon before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court. The media was blocked from accessing the Court to cover the high profile case. Police Officers indicated that they were instructed to keep the media out. It is unclear who handed down the instruction.

Following the lengthy Court hearing, the Attorneys for the two accused emerged and expressed their disappointment and disbelief over the Magistrate’s decision to refuse bail.

Senior Counsel Roysdale Force, who represented the Opposition Leader, told reporters that there was no basis for the refusal of bail. He said the Attorneys for the Opposition Leader will be moving immediately to the High Court, and if possibly the Court of Appeal to seek bail for the Opposition Leader.

“The reason advised by the Magistrate inherently ought to permit the granting of bail. As far as I can recall, the reason advanced by the Magistrate for the refusal of bail is that Mr. Azruddin Mohamed has been on bail repeatedly and he has been accused of committing other offences. I would have belabored the point to the Court that there is the persecution of Mr. Azruddin Mohamed by the Executive of this Republic. I would have also addressed issues and the core issues why bail should be granted. Mr. Mohamed was charged under Section 9 of the Cyber Crime Act and a simple reading by a common entrance student and would understand what are the elements of an offence. It requires for you to obtain something, in this case data and requires you to give it to someone. The Prosecution’s case has failed to demonstrate the elements of the offence”, the Attorney said.

Mohamed is accused of allegedly paying $800,000 to Police Constable Ryan Greene after the Police Constable allegedly provided him with surveillance video recordings from the Government’s Safe Country CCTV system.

The video recordings were of the incident that involved Mohamed and the Special Branch Head on the 12th October when the Special Branch Head shot at the Opposition Leader’s car after intercepting it at a traffic light. The Opposition Leader was accused of driving pass the home of the Special Branch head twice on the same night.

20-year-old Police Constable Ryan Greene, who was also remanded to prison today, is accused of downloading the video recording and providing it to the Opposition Leader. The Police said he admitted to the crime. His Attorney, Darren Wade, blasted the Court for the refusal of bail and the reasons provided for that refusal. Wade said he too will be moving to the High Court in an effort to secure bail for his client.

The Opposition Leader and the Police Constable have been remanded to prison until the 24th November.

News Source understands that a second Police Officer, Ashton Chappelle, is also under probe in connection to the same case and he could also face possible charges.

Earlier today, Attorney Nigel Hughes filed a motion for Mohamed’s release after his detention was approaching 72 hours, but that motion was withdrawn after the Police moved to institute the charges this afternoon.

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