THE extradition case against embattled businessmen Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin Mohamed, resumed on Friday before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, entering a new phase after the prosecution completed full disclosure of all evidence.
For several weeks, the defence had maintained that it could not proceed to argue its constitutional challenges until all statements and supporting materials in the United States (U.S.) extradition request were provided.
On Friday, both sides confirmed that disclosure had finally been completed, clearing the way for the next stage of the proceedings.
Jamaican King’s Counsel Terrence Williams, appearing for the prosecution, told reporters that all materials contained in the American request had been disclosed since the previous hearing on November 24.
He said that while the defence had sought additional time to review the documents, the prosecution did not oppose the adjournment, noting that it was important for counsel to be adequately prepared.
“We understand there are times when counsel will need more time to prepare,” Williams said, adding: “It is a due process issue, and if they need more time, we are not going to oppose that. They need to be properly prepared when making their submissions.”
Williams added that the prosecution had been ready to begin calling evidence on Friday, with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation present should the court have required testimony.
However, with the defence indicating its intention to pursue constitutional arguments, the hearing shifted away from evidentiary matters and toward procedural issues.
He confirmed that the prosecution has already assembled the case law it intends to rely on when responding to the defence’s constitutional submissions.
Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, representing the Mohameds, also acknowledged that disclosure was now complete, but stressed that the defence only received the final tranche of documents on Friday.
He reiterated that it had always been the defence’s position that substantive constitutional arguments could only proceed once full disclosure was made.
“Today is only when we received it,” Forde emphasised, adding: “We requested an opportunity, after the close of disclosure, to review all the documents as a whole, advise our client, and then proceed to the constitutional issue.”
Forde said that the constitutional challenge will focus on amendments made to the Fugitive Offenders in 2009. According to him, those amendments were enacted in response to a Full Court ruling that struck down significant portions of the original legislation.
The documents submitted by the prosecution include both formal statements and evidence purportedly supporting allegations that the offences outlined in the U.S. request were committed by the Mohameds.
With disclosure now finalised, Magistrate Latchman set timelines for the next steps. Written submissions on the constitutional issues are to be filed by early next week.
The court will hear oral arguments on December 8, and a decision on December 10 will determine whether the issues will be referred to the High Court for further consideration.
On the morning of October 31, both father and son were taken into custody in Georgetown in connection with the extradition request from the U.S. The Mohameds—owners of Mohamed’s Enterprise—remain on GY$150,000 bail each as the matter progresses.
Conditions of their bail required them to surrender their passports and report weekly to the Ruimveldt Police Station, measures intended to ensure their availability for ongoing legal proceedings.
The father and son have been hit with an 11-count indictment in the U.S. Florida Southern District Court. The pair face 10 counts jointly, while Azruddin is charged with an additional count related to the importation of a 2020 Lamborghini Roadster SVJ into Guyana.
Court documents alleged that Azruddin and his father conspired to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, aiding and abetting and customs-related violations connected to an alleged US$50 million gold export and tax evasion scheme.
The indictment was issued by a grand jury in October.
According to the filings, Nazar owns 90 per cent of Mohamed’s Enterprise, with Azruddin holding the remaining 10 per cent. The two face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the most serious charge.
In June 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Nazar and Azruddin for engaging in gold smuggling and public corruption, including the alleged defrauding of the Guyanese government of over US$50 million in unpaid duty taxes.
Mae Thomas, the former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Labour, was also sanctioned.
U.S. authorities are believed to have launched their investigation into the Mohameds in the mid-2010s, supported by intelligence sharing and law enforcement co-operation between Guyana and the United States that dates back to around 2016–2017.
The probe involved several U.S. agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
