Opposition Groups Demand Probe Into Allegations Against Deputy Commissioner Karimbaksh

Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh is disputing Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken’s decision to place him on pre-retirement leave while he faces rape and threatening-behaviour allegations from a female officer. His lawyer says only the Police Service Commission can take such disciplinary action, but the PSC has been inactive since July, and legal proceedings may follow if the leave is enforced.

Guyana Police Force Special Organised Crime Unit head Deputy Commissioner Fizal Karimbaksh has been sent on leave while investigators probe allegations of rape and threatening behaviour made by a female officer. The complaint has intensified scrutiny on the force’s handling of senior officers, amid calls from the opposition and women’s groups for him to be removed from active duty during the probe.

Guyana Police Force Deputy Commissioner Fizal Karimbaksh has been sent on leave while police investigate rape, sexual assault and threats alleged by a female officer who worked under him. The case has triggered calls from civil society and the Women and Gender Equality Commission for an independent probe and stronger accountability for senior officials.

Guyana Police Force Deputy Commissioner Fizal Karimbaksh has been sent on leave while investigators examine allegations of rape and threatening behaviour against him. The move follows mounting public calls for an independent probe, and the case is drawing scrutiny over how senior police misconduct complaints are handled.

This opinion column argues that in Guyana, administrative leave should not be automatic when someone is accused of a serious offence; it should depend on whether the person could actually interfere with the investigation. Using a case involving a senior police officer and a police-officer complainant, it says both sides should be assessed by the same standard to protect the integrity of the probe.

The Guyana Human Rights Association has renewed its call for an independent international probe into the Guyana Police Force after sexual assault allegations against Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh raised fresh concerns about accountability. The group criticised the government’s handling of the matter, said senior officers should be removed pending investigation, and pointed to past police scandals and sexual assault complaints as evidence that reform is urgently needed.

The Women’s Advisory Committee of the Guyana Public Service Union has condemned rape, harassment and gun-threat allegations against Deputy Commissioner of Police Fizal Karimbaksh, made by a female Police Inspector. It is calling for him to be placed on administrative leave, for an independent investigation, and for protection for the officer and any witnesses.

Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Waldron clarified that she did not order a face-to-face confrontation between a female police officer and Deputy Commissioner Fizal Karimbaksh, who faces rape, harassment and threat allegations. Her remarks drew criticism from rights groups citing Guyana’s Sexual Offences Act, while Waldron said investigators must protect the complainant’s rights and Karimbaksh’s due process.

A broad coalition of civil society groups, activists and religious leaders is demanding an independent investigation and special prosecutor over rape and threatening-behaviour allegations against Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, saying senior officials must face the law without favour. They also cite the assault conviction of former Region Four chairman Daniel Seeram as another sign of weak accountability for violence against women. The group wants the Sexual Offences Act strictly followed and any unlawful confrontation of the complainant stopped.

The Guyana Public Service Union’s Women’s Advisory Committee says a female police inspector has accused Deputy Commissioner Fizal Karimbaksh of rape, harassment and gun threats, and is demanding he be placed on immediate administrative leave. The committee says the case raises serious concerns about workplace safety, witness protection and confidence in the Guyana Police Force.

Transparency International Guyana is calling for an independent probe into rape and threats allegations against Deputy Police Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, saying a police-led inquiry may not inspire public confidence. It wants him placed on administrative leave, evidence preserved, and the complainant and witnesses protected from intimidation.

Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken says the Guyana Police Force will investigate sexual misconduct allegations against SOCU head Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh internally, after a female police inspector accused him of rape, assault and threats. Civil society groups and the Women & Gender Equality Commission are urging an independent probe, warning that an unnamed internal team may not protect witnesses or public confidence.

Retired police officer Paul Slowe is urging the government to immediately send Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh on administrative leave after rape and threatening-behaviour allegations made by a female police inspector. The case, now under investigation by police, has renewed scrutiny of how Guyana handles misconduct complaints against senior officers and whether action can proceed without a functioning Police Service Commission.

The Women and Gender Equality Commission has condemned the silence around allegations that a senior female police officer was sexually assaulted by a high-ranking colleague in the Guyana Police Force. It says the case, reportedly under investigation since January 2026, raises serious concerns about accountability, workplace safety, and whether the officer who came forward was instead transferred.

Guyana’s Women and Gender Equality Commission has questioned why the Police Force has not publicly acted on rape and sexual assault allegations against Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, saying the case tests whether powerful officials can be held accountable. The commission also said the female inspector who made the complaint needs protection while the investigation continues.

Amid allegations of rape and threats against Deputy Police Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, the Guyana Trade Union Congress is urging workers to know their rights under the Prevention of Discrimination Act. The guidance says harassment must be documented, reported through workplace or Labour Ministry channels, and treated as a criminal matter when it involves assault or violence.

Forward Guyana is urging authorities to move ahead with a criminal probe into Deputy Commissioner of Police Fizal Karimbaksh, saying the lack of a Police Service Commission does not stop criminal law from applying. The group also cited the swift MV Barima case to argue that the Commissioner of Police can remove him from SOCU command while the investigation continues.

Guyana’s Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond says a formal investigation is underway into sexual assault allegations against Deputy Commissioner and SOCU head Fazil Karimbaksh, brought by a female officer. She said the victim has been transferred, but Karimbaksh remains on duty because the Police Service Commission, which would normally decide on administrative leave, has expired, leaving the matter in limbo.

Guyana Police are investigating rape and threatening-behaviour allegations against Deputy Commissioner Fizal Karimbaksh, head of SOCU, after a female police inspector made a complaint. Karimbaksh has not been placed on administrative leave, despite calls from Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond and APNU to do so. The case is testing whether the Force can protect due process while preserving public confidence in the investigation.