–$8M fine on cybercrime charge

OPPOSITION Leader Azruddin Mohamed was remanded to prison on Friday after a magistrate refused to grant him bail on a new criminal charge, with his existing criminal cases among the factors considered in the decision.
Mohamed, who is US-sanctioned and indicted, was jointly charged with Police Constable Ryan Greene over the alleged unauthorised disclosure of sensitive surveillance footage from the Government’s Safe City surveillance system, in exchange for $800,000.
The duo appeared before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, where they were jointly charged with unauthorised granting of access to or giving of electronic data, contrary to Section 9 of the Cybercrime Act.
The indictable charge did not require either accused to enter a plea. Both men were denied bail and remanded to prison until November 24.
Section 9 of the Cybercrime Act criminalises the intentional and unauthorised sharing of certain electronic data, including information that is commercially sensitive or constitutes a trade secret, information relating to the national security of the State, and data stored on a computer system that is protected against unauthorised access.
A person found guilty of the offence faces a penalty of three years’ imprisonment and a $3 million fine on summary conviction, or five years’ imprisonment and an $8 million fine if convicted on indictment.

A significant consideration in Mohamed’s bail application was his existing legal entanglements, including the criminal proceedings arising from an October 12 shooting incident outside the Kitty residence of Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Narine, who heads the Police Force’s Special Branch Unit. He is also facing extradition proceedings initiated by the United States.
The Guyana Chronicle understands that Magistrate Gibbs, in considering the prosecution’s objections and the provisions of the Bail Act 2022, took into account that Mohamed had previously been granted bail in those matters but was now accused of committing another offence while on bail.
The presiding magistrate considered the nature and seriousness of the latest allegations and the possibility that Mohamed could commit further offences if released. Having regard to those considerations, the magistrate refused his application for bail. Greene, 20, of Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, was also denied bail and remanded.
The prosecution, led by King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani, strongly objected to bail for both accused, arguing that the investigation had uncovered evidence pointing to their involvement in the unauthorised extraction and transfer of electronic data from the Guyana Police Force’s Command Centre.
Ramdhani told the court that investigators were still pursuing additional evidence, including communication records between Mohamed and Greene, and were attempting to locate Mohamed’s driver, Eugene Thorne.
He maintained that the prosecution had a strong case, supported by statements from Greene and other police ranks, as well as video recordings documenting the alleged extraction of data from the Command Centre.
The prosecutor further indicated that investigations into other possible offences were continuing, with some additional charges already prepared.
A heavy police presence surrounded the courthouse during Friday’s proceedings, with members of the public kept at a distance from the court precinct. Reporters were also barred from entering the courtroom, which was accessible only to family members of the accused.
Mohamed, 39, of Houston, Greater Georgetown, was represented by a legal team led by Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, alongside attorneys Nigel Hughes and Damien DaSilva.
Greene was represented by attorneys Dr Dexter Todd and Darren Wade.
Following the hearing, Forde said the defence would pursue bail through the higher courts.
“We are immediately making applications to the High Court for the bail of Mr Azruddin Mohamed. If it is refused, we will be going to the Court of Appeal. If it is refused there, we will be going to the CCJ,” he told reporters.
The latest charge stems from allegations that Greene, who was attached to the Police Force’s Command Centre, obtained surveillance recordings relating to the October 12 shooting outside Narine’s residence and supplied them to Mohamed in exchange for $800,000.
The footage reportedly relates to an incident in which Mohamed claimed he was the target of an assassination attempt. He subsequently made portions of the recordings public at a press conference, maintaining that they supported his account of what transpired.
However, Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, SC, has contended that the recordings were obtained to assist Mohamed in his defence against the criminal charges arising from the October 12 incident. During High Court proceedings on Friday, in response to a habeas corpus application filed by the opposition leader’s attorneys, Nandlall disclosed that another police rank, Constable Ashton Chappel, had been implicated in the alleged breach.

According to the Attorney-General, Chappel admitted to downloading the recordings, transferring them to a flash drive and handing the device to Greene.
Nandlall also disclosed that Mohamed had contacted Chappel in connection with the footage. He also revealed that investigators were seeking Thorne as part of the continuing investigation.
The October 12 incident had already resulted in charges against Mohamed, Thorne and videographer Mario Mohamed.
They were charged with unlawful possession of a .32 Taurus pistol and three rounds of ammunition without valid licences, as well as attempting to obstruct the course of justice. All three pleaded not guilty and were granted $750,000 bail.
Azruddin ‘s latest remand also comes against the backdrop of the extradition proceedings involving him and his father, businessman Nazar Mohamed.
The United States is seeking the surrender of the Mohameds to face an 11-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
They jointly face allegations including conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering, while Azruddin is separately charged over the alleged importation of a 2020 Lamborghini Roadster SVJ into Guyana.
According to U.S. prosecutors, the charges stem from an alleged years-long scheme in which large quantities of gold were exported from Guyana using false customs declarations and undervalued invoices, allowing more than US$50 million in taxes and customs duties to be evaded.
Investigators also allege that reused government export seals were used to facilitate shipments, one of which, valued at approximately US$5.3 million, was intercepted at Miami International Airport.
The allegations underpin sanctions imposed in June 2024 by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) against the Mohameds and several of their associated companies. U.S. authorities accused them of participating in gold smuggling, tax evasion and public corruption, allegations the father and son have repeatedly denied.
The investigation involved years of cooperation between Guyanese and American law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
They were each granted $150,000 bail in the extradition proceedings, with conditions requiring them to surrender their passports and report weekly to the Ruimveldt Police Station.
The extradition matter is scheduled to resume on Monday, November 2, before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The extradition proceedings, which commenced on January 6, have now been ongoing for nearly 10 months, but only two prosecution witnesses have testified so far.
They are Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Senior Superintendent Narine.