Paul Slowe slapped with $70M libel suit over social media posts

Former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe, has been slapped with another multi-million-dollar libel suit. This time, the legal proceedings were instituted against him by acting Deputy Police Commissioner (Administration) Calvin Brutus.
In the action, filed on his behalf by Satram & Satram, Attorneys-at-Law, Brutus is seeking damages in excess of $70M for libel committed against him by Slowe late last year and in this year.
Brutus has deposed that, shortly after Slowe was charged with three counts of sexual assault committed against a senior Policewoman, and with fraud, he created Facebook and YouTube pages for the “sole purpose” of attacking the character of officers investigating him for these offences, in an effort to prejudice the investigations.

Since the Facebook and YouTube pages have been created, Brutus said, Slowe regularly publishes and causes to be published defamatory materials about and concerning him. According to Brutus, on or about November 2, 2021, Slowe caused certain defamatory words to be published about him via this Facebook page. The publication was shared 12 times, and attracted over 100 interactions in the form of reactions and comments. It continues to be viewable, complained Brutus, who has over two decades of service in the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Brutus has said that, on or about November 22, 2021, Slowe participated in a live video broadcast hosted on Facebook by US-based political commentator and ally of the APNU-AFC Opposition, Rickford Burke. During the broadcast, Brutus said, Slowe published and caused to be published defamatory words of and concerning Brutus, about 49:00 minutes into the said broadcast.
Brutus added that similar publications about him were made on December 22 and 29, 2021. He disclosed that another publication about him was made on or about January 5, via a live broadcast on Slowe’s Facebook page. It was titled: “Speaking Exposing Corruption and Incompetence”.

Another such broadcast about him was made on January 12.
Brutus contends that, on each and every occasion, the statements by Slowe were “deliberate and actuated by malice”, and were published in “retaliation against the criminal charges instituted against him”. He also contends that the statements, in their natural and ordinary meaning, and by way of innuendo, mean that he is unqualified to hold the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police; unfit to be a member of the Police Force; unfit to serve in the rank; and is incompetent.
Brutus argues that the statements inferred that he was undermining the proper functioning of the Police Force; committed criminal offences punishable by imprisonment; abuses his power and office; is unfit to serve his country as a Police officer; is corrupt, unprofessional, dishonourable; and is a dishonest person and lacking in integrity.
By reason of the publication of the words complained of, Brutus submitted, his reputation has been, and continues to be, seriously injured. As a result, he deposed, he has suffered considerable hurt, distress, and embarrassment; is exposed to reputational injury and hurt; has been, and continues to be, demeaned in the eyes of right-thinking members of the public; and has been, and continues to be, demeaned in the eyes of his peers and subordinate ranks of the Police Force.

According to Brutus, the statements were calculated to, and did in fact, cause his authority to be questioned. He said Slowe uttered those words knowing they were false, and he added that the utterances were “calculated” to disparage him, and were intentionally done to, and did, embarrass, humiliate, and injure his reputation and standing in his profession and office.
In consequence of the said publication, Brutus complains, his reputation has been seriously harmed, and he has suffered considerable hurt, embarrassment, distress, and anxiety.
He said that, in support of his claim for damages, including aggravating damages, he would rely on the fact that the publications remain accessible on the World Wide Web; and he was never offered an apology by Slowe, who has challenged him to take him to court.
Unless restrained by the court, Brutus submitted, Slowe would further publish the same or similar defamatory statements. As such, he is asking the court for an injunction restraining Slowe, whether by himself, his servants, his agents or employees, or otherwise howsoever, from further speaking or publishing the same or any similar defamatory matters about him.
Brutus is also seeking an order compelling Slowe to remove the defamatory publications from the internet.