Police yesterday searched the Friendship, East Bank Demerara home of Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed as part of the continuing investigation into the murder of Ricardo ‘Paper Shorts’ Fagundes, although the Guyana Police Force did not name Mohamed in its statement on the operation.
The search was carried out while Mohamed was out at sea assisting in efforts to locate persons missing following the sinking of the MV Barima. There has been no public statement from Mohamed on the police action.
During the operation, Mohamed’s sister Hana Mohamed livestreamed the search on social media, showing police officers conducting the exercise at the property. His father, businessman Nazar Mohamed, was also seen accompanying the officers as they moved around the premises and was heard telling one of them, “I know you is a honest man.”
In a statement issued yesterday, the police said the search stemmed from the ongoing investigation into the murder of Fagundes.
“The Guyana Police Force wishes to inform the public that, as investigations into the murder of Ricardo Fagundes, also known as ‘Paper Shorts’, continue, further legal advice was sought based on information received,” the force said.
It said that acting on the legal advice, investigators executed a search warrant at a property at Friendship, East Bank Demerara.
“The warrant was granted by a Magistrate after consideration of the information presented,” the statement said.
“The search was completed a short while ago. Investigations are ongoing.”
The police did not identify the owner or occupant of the property in its release.
The search also drew criticism from Forward Guyana parliamentarian Amanza Walton-Desir, who questioned the timing of the operation as the country remained focused on the MV Barima tragedy.
“The PPP Government is a full-blown dictatorship,” Walton-Desir said, arguing that at a time when families were awaiting news of missing relatives and national resources should be directed toward rescue and recovery efforts, police resources were instead being used to search the residence of the Opposition Leader.
She said the government’s actions reflected its priorities “not by what it says, but by where it directs its resources in moments of crisis.”
The search comes days after several persons associated with Mohamed were held in connection with the Fagundes murder investigation.
According to the report, Mark Richmond, a security officer associated with Mohamed, was among persons questioned by investigators as they pursued new leads into the March 2021 killing. Richmond was later released on station bail.
Kiskadee Watch also reported that the renewed police activity followed the issuing of a wanted bulletin for mechanic Satrohan “Depo” Rajkumar, another person linked to Team Mohamed, in relation to the investigation.
And vehicle tinting specialist Troy Singh was also arrested and released and according to his attorney, Yuborn Allicock he was picked up from his residence and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where he was questioned about allegations surrounding a white Toyota Fielder wagon believed by investigators to be connected to the murder.
Allicock had said police alleged that Singh had tinted the vehicle on behalf of businessman and now Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, but his client denied the claim.
The attorney told Kiskadee Watch that Singh maintained that he had never tinted any white Toyota Fielder wagon for Mohamed or any vehicle of that nature.
Fagundes was shot and killed on March 21, 2021, outside Palm Court on Main Street, Georgetown. The case remained unsolved for several years before renewed police activity brought the matter back into the public spotlight.
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