Home News Azruddin Mohamed tax evasion case: “Day of reckoning” coming for any corrupt...
– as High Court judge rejects GRA’s new affidavit of evidence supplied by United States Dept of Justice
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Thursday filed a criminal charge against embattled United States (US) sanctioned Businessman Azruddin Mohammed, but the affidavit that the tax agency submitted in the civil case on Wednesday, which contained evidence of Mohammed allegedly undervaluing his tax declaration, was deemed inadmissible by the High Court.
It was revealed on Thursday afternoon that High Court Judge Gino Persaud refused to admit the Affidavit of Defence filed by GRA Deputy Commissioner of Law Enforcement and Investigation, Rajandra Singh.
The newly submitted evidence was provided by the US Department of Justice itself under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). It included an original invoice for the Lamborghini Aventador at the centre of the dispute between the Mohamed’s and GRA.
The invoice, which was billed to Azruddin Mohamed himself, declares that the Lamborghini was purchased at a cost of US$695,000. In his previous declarations to the court, however, Mohamed claimed to have spent US$76,000 on the luxury car.
But Mohamed’s defence, Attorney-at-Law Siand Dhurjon, argued that this invoice should be considered inadmissible, since the document is from a third party. Justice Persaud acceded to this, excluding the invoice and the additional Affidavit of Defence, from evidence.
That being said, however, the tax agency has gone ahead with the filing of its criminal case against Mohammed.
During his press conference on Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo revealed that now that they have this piece of evidence, GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia filed the criminal case on Thursday.
“Statia filed a criminal case, because false declaration is a crime according to our laws. We’ve charged many people with false declaration before. He’s put in his document, the court record that he paid US$76,000 for the vehicle,” Jagdeo said.
“GRA, through the designated contact point, which is the Ministry of Home Affairs, sent off a letter to the treasury through the mutual treaty we have. And they’ve received the evidence from the treasury department in the US… this is perjury before the court.”
When it comes to possible collusion between staff at the GRA and the Mohammeds and the role this may have played in allowing the undervalued Lamborghini to be cleared through customs, Jagdeo assured that a day of reckoning would be coming for these staff. As a matter of fact, he made it clear that corrupt police officers would also be dealt with.
“You know, sometimes in government you have to play a long game. You can’t rush and do things based on spur of the moment thought. So the day of reckoning for all of those committing illegal acts and compromising the revenue authority or the police force, is coming. I’m forewarning them too, so they know.”
It was only on Monday that the Court of Appeal had refused GRA’s application to overturn the High Court ruling that had placed an injunction on the tax agency from seizing the luxury vehicles owned by the Mohamed family.
Last month, there had been a tense stand-off that saw enforcement officials from the GRA being blocked from seizing several high-end vehicles linked to nearly $900 million in unpaid duties.
Officers of the GRA, accompanied by ranks of the Guyana Police Force, went to the Mohamed family’s Houston, Greater Georgetown residence to take possession of the luxury vehicles after repeated notices and a month-long effort to resolve the matter amicably had failed.
However, the operation was halted after the officers were met by an angry mob that physically obstructed access to the premises. The GRA reported that Azruddin Mohamed refused to cooperate, questioned the basis for the operation, and summoned a mob from his property and nearby areas. The mob reportedly became increasingly hostile, prompting officers to retreat due to safety concerns.
Among the vehicles targeted for seizure were a Lamborghini Roadster, Ferrari 488, two Toyota Land Cruisers, a Rolls Royce, and a Range Rover — all allegedly imported under the re-migrant scheme but found to be in breach of its terms, including failure to meet residency requirements and presenting false declarations of value.
While the legal proceedings continue, the total taxes owed by the Mohamed family amount to nearly $900 million, linked to multiple luxury vehicles allegedly imported under false pretences or in breach of the re-migrant scheme.
Among the amounts cited are $479.7 million for a 2020 Ferrari registered to Hana Mohamed, $371.7 million for a 2020 Lamborghini Roadster titled to Azruddin Mohamed, and $320 million for a 2023 Rolls Royce registered to Bibi Mohamed. Additional taxes include $61.4 million for a 2023 Range Rover under Leslie Khan’s name, and $24.6 million each for two Toyota Land Cruisers also registered to Azruddin Mohamed.
