Chief Magistrate rejects US-sanctioned Mohameds’ plea to halt extradition hearing

Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman has ruled that the extradition proceedings against United States-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, must continue, despite their lawyers’ request for a stay pending clarification from the Court of Appeal.
Chief Magistrate Latchman made the ruling on Thursday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, stressing that she is bound by a recent order of the Court of Appeal and therefore must allow the proceedings to continue.
The ruling came after Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, who appeared with attorneys Damien Da Silva and Siand Dhurjon, asked the Chief Magistrate to “stay her hand” while the defence seeks directions from the Court of Appeal on the scope and implications of its order.

“Crisis of clarity”
Forde described the situation as a “crisis of clarity”, arguing that the appellate court’s order has created uncertainty about how the committal proceedings should continue.
The Court of Appeal has rejected the Mohameds’ request for a stay and permitted the extradition proceedings to continue. However, it ordered that Chief Magistrate Latchman embargo her final ruling while it determined the men’s constitutional challenge to certain provisions of the Fugitive Offenders (Amendment) Act.
During submissions before Magistrate Latchman, the defence maintained that the constitutional challenge has implications for the extradition proceedings and argued that she should await directions from the Court of Appeal before proceeding further with the committal hearing.
However, the prosecution urged the court to continue with the matter.
The prosecution is led by Jamaican King’s Counsel Attorney-at-Law Terrence Williams, along with fellow Jamaican attorneys Herbert McKenzie and Celine Deidrick.
The prosecution submitted that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) had upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal and, as a result, the extradition proceedings should continue.
The extradition proceedings, which began on January 6, had been placed on hold since March 25 following an order of the CCJ.
That order was discharged on July 29 after the regional court dismissed the Mohameds’ challenge to the Authority to Proceed (ATP) issued by Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond, which they had challenged on grounds of alleged political bias.
With the CCJ matter disposed of, the extradition proceedings resumed, although the subsequent Court of Appeal order placed a restriction on the Chief Magistrate’s ability to make a final determination.

The witness testifies
Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Narine, head of the Special Branch Unit, is currently under cross-examination by the defence after commencing his testimony on Thursday.
Narine is the prosecution’s second witness and gave evidence concerning the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the Mohameds following the United States’ request for their extradition.
According to his testimony, on October 31, 2025, he visited the Attorney General’s Office on Carmichael Street, Georgetown, where he collected a bundle of documents in connection with the extradition proceedings.
Among the documents, he said, was the ATP issued and signed by Minister Walrond.
The bundle also contained documents bearing the signature of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as a Section 6 Certificate under the Fugitive Offenders Act.
Narine testified that attached to the certificate was the extradition treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom.
He also received two draft arrest warrants in relation to the Mohameds; he told the court.

2 arrest warrants issued
The witness said that after collecting the documents, he proceeded to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts at about 10:00h in the company of Detective Superintendent of Police Rodwell Sarrabo. There, he appeared before Magistrate Latchman, swore to the truth of the documents and tendered them to the court.
Following the presentation of the documents, the court issued two arrest warrants for Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed.
Narine said he then uplifted the warrants and proceeded with Sarrabo to Smyth Street, Georgetown, where they located Azruddin Mohamed.
According to his evidence, Azruddin Mohamed was seated inside a black Toyota Crown motorcar bearing registration PZZ 5000.
Narine told the court that he informed Azruddin that a request had been made by the United States for his extradition in relation to allegations including money laundering and wire fraud and that, as a result, an arrest warrant had been issued.
He then arrested Azruddin Mohamed. Narine further testified that Azruddin Mohamed requested that he be allowed to contact his attorney, Dhurjon.
Narine testified that, in his presence and hearing, Sarrabo used his personal cell phone to call Dhurjon, but the call went unanswered.
Azruddin Mohamed was subsequently arrested and placed in a Police vehicle.
Waiting for Police to arrive
The Police witness said a few minutes later he proceeded to Mohamed’s Enterprise on Lombard Street, Georgetown, where Nazar Mohamed was located.
He testified that Nazar Mohamed was also informed that the United States had requested his extradition on the same allegations and that a warrant had been issued for his arrest.
Narine said Nazar Mohamed was also arrested and placed in the Police vehicle.
Unlike his son, however, Nazar Mohamed did not make a request at the time of his arrest, Narine testified, adding that Nazar Mohamed told the Police he had been waiting for them to arrive.
Narine told the court that while the father and son were being transported to the Brickdam Police Station, Dhurjon contacted Sarrabo’s mobile phone and informed the Police that he would meet them at the station.
Narine testified that at the Brickdam Police Station, a record was made of the arrests, after which the two men were allowed to speak privately with a US marshal and their attorney.
Narine said that at about 13:00h on October 31, 2025, the Mohameds were taken before the court, where the extradition proceedings commenced.
His evidence is now being tested under cross-examination by the defence.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sharon Roopchand Edwards, who was previously available for cross-examination, did not take the stand for that purpose on Thursday, with her cross-examination deferred.
Narine is expected to face further cross-examination today.

Extradition
The United States is seeking the extradition of the Mohameds over allegations stemming from a multi-year scheme involving the evasion of taxes and royalties on gold exports, money laundering and wire fraud.
US authorities alleged that falsified customs declarations and the reuse of government export seals were used as part of the scheme, which allegedly resulted in approximately US$50 million in revenue losses to the Government of Guyana. Both father and son were sanctioned by the US Government in 2024 and subsequently indicted in the United States in 2025 on criminal charges arising from the alleged gold export and tax-evasion scheme.
The Mohameds continue to challenge their extradition under Guyana’s Fugitive Offenders (Amendment) Act on various grounds, including a constitutional challenge to provisions of the legislation that remains before the Court of Appeal.
Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed remain on $150,000 bail each pending the determination of the extradition proceedings. Their bail conditions include surrendering their passports and reporting weekly to the Ruimveldt Police Station.