UNITED States-sanctioned businessman and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Presidential Candidate, Azruddin Mohamed, has admitted publicly that President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has never granted him a single favour, despite months of desperate attempts to link the Head of State to his scandal-ridden affairs.
“We had a close relationship… as a Muslim brother to a Muslim brother. That is it. Irfaan Ali never granted me no favour,” Mohamed told reporters at the Police Officers Mess, Eve Leary, on Friday.
The confession stands in stark contrast to the smear campaign he has been attempting to mount against the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and President Ali, as the nation heads to General and Regional Elections.
President Ali had previously called out Mohamed’s falsehoods, describing his antics as “dishonest and factually incorrect.”
Back in June, in a live video, Mohamed had shared WhatsApp messages between himself and a number purportedly belonging to President Ali regarding the importation of a luxury vehicle.
“The video of Azruddin Mohamed reinforces his duplicity and dishonesty,” the President had said, adding that having his phone number was nothing special since “thousands of Guyanese continue to contact me on various matters.”
Central to the scandal is Mohamed’s alleged attempt to cover up the true purchase price of a luxury Lamborghini, which U.S. authorities have confirmed to be US$695,000.
Mohamed, however, presented the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) with an invoice of just US$75,000, which was seen and described as a blatant attempt to rob the State of over $383 million in taxes.
“As I stated before, at no time did Azruddin Mohamed present any invoice for US$695,000. Instead, he reaffirmed his lies by presenting to GRA a falsified invoice of US$75,000,” President Ali said.
Now out on $500,000 bail, Mohamed is fighting two criminal charges of customs fraud and tax evasion.
Evidence supplied by the U.S. Department of Justice includes the original dealership invoice and wire transfers from Mohamed’s own account to the U.S. seller — confirming the real price of the Lamborghini.
This follows sweeping U.S. sanctions imposed on Mohamed, his father Nazar, and their companies for corruption and illicit activities.