Sergeant Bascom found guilty of cybercrime offences

Sergeant Dion Bascom was found guilty on Friday of two offences under the Cybercrime Act No. 16 of 2018, following a trial at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
The charges stemmed from an incident on August 11, 2022, when Bascom used a computer system to transmit electronic data with the intent to humiliate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to Superintendent Mitchell Ceasar and Sergeant Kester Cosbert.

Bascom, who was stationed in the ECD area, was charged with the offences at Dazzel Housing Scheme, ECD. He pleaded not guilty to both charges during his initial appearance in court on November 14, 2022. The court granted Bascom bail in the amount of $50,000 for each charge.
The charges had alleged that Bascom’s actions caused significant emotional distress to Ceasar and Cosbert, both of whom were serving as senior officers at the time. After a thorough trial, Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore delivered the verdict, finding Bascom guilty on both charges.
Following the ruling, Bascom’s defence attorney, Nigel Hughes, requested that a probation report be conducted before sentencing. The court granted the request, and the matter was adjourned to February 17, when the probation report will be presented and sentencing will occur.
The prosecution was represented by Senior Police Legal Advisor, Attorney-at-Law Mandel Moore, while Bascom was represented by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes.