Photographer gets $100,000 bail on cybercrime charge

Charged - Keron Bruce

Photographer Keron Bruce, who was arrested in January for allegedly being the man behind the “Mudwata” character, was today released on $100,000 bail after being charged with a cybercrime offence under the Cybercrime Act.

Bruce, 35, of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was hauled before Magistrate Sunil Scarce in the Diamond/Grove Magistrate’s Court and denied the charge when it was read to him.

The charge alleged that on January 25, 2021, at Soesdyke, EBD, he used a computer system to disseminate information about Leroy Smith knowing the same to be false, to cause public ridicule, contempt, and hatred, or embarrassment.

Leroy Smith, Editor of Big Smith News Watch

He was represented by attorney-at-law Bernard DaSilva, who made an application for reasonable bail. As such, the Magistrate released him on $100,000 bail and adjourned the matter to April 29, 2022.

In January, Bruce was arrested three days after Leroy, through his online publication “Big Smith News,” made a public reward of one million dollars for information leading to the identity of the players behind the “Mudwata” and “Guyana Uncut” characters.

Smith made this offer after a video was posted by “Mudwata” attacking him.

At the time of Bruce’s arrest, the police had said that several pieces of electronic equipment were seized from Bruce’s DD Eccles, EBD home.