The Alliance For Change (AFC) has called for the disclosure of video footage and forensic results relating to Monday night’s shooting involving Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, while Forward Guyana Movement Leader Amanza Walton-Desir says police should not investigate the disputed conduct of Special Branch Head, Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, on their own.
In separate statements, the AFC and Walton-Desir urged scrutiny of the evidence and police actions, saying Mohamed and his two employees were entitled to lawful and impartial treatment regardless of their political affiliation.
The calls come as Mohamed, Mario Mohamed and Eugene Thorne were today granted bail totalling $750,000 each by Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
They face charges of unlawful possession of a firearm without a licence, unlawful possession of ammunition without a licence, and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Bail was set at $250,000 each on each charge.
In its statement issued yesterday, the AFC called for relevant video footage that could establish whether Mohamed or the other occupants of the vehicle fired first at Narine’s residence.
It also sought disclosure of ballistic examination results relating to the firearm police said they recovered from the vehicle, along with the results of gunshot residue tests conducted on its occupants.
“These forensic findings may be critical in establishing the facts and determining the sequence of events,” the party said.
The AFC urged that the findings be made public to the fullest extent permitted by law, without compromising the investigation or court proceedings.
Walton-Desir, meanwhile, said disagreement with Mohamed’s decision to visit or be near the home of a witness in his extradition proceedings did not remove the obligation for police to act lawfully.
“Defending Azruddin Mohamed’s right to lawful treatment does not mean endorsing his actions. Equally, disapproving of his actions does not require us to accept the police account without scrutiny or excuse police misconduct,” she stated.
She said the decision to bring charges did not resolve allegations of assault or the planting of a firearm, which required investigation with credible independent oversight.
“Given Mr Narine’s senior position within the Police Force, his prior involvement with Mr Mohamed and his direct participation in the disputed shooting, the Guyana Police Force should not investigate this matter on its own,” she said.
Investigators, she added, must establish who searched the vehicle, when the searches occurred, who had access to it and how the firearm was handled before and after its reported discovery.
She called for the preservation of recordings, police communications, search records and forensic material, and for the authorities to explain how the investigation’s independence was being secured.
Walton-Desir also criticised the government’s October 13 statement, which described Mohamed’s companions as his “henchmen” and presented its account as “uncontroverted facts” while acknowledging that investigations were continuing.
“It cannot credibly insist that the law be allowed to take its course while using its own platform to prejudge people under investigation,” she said.
The government alleged that gunshots came from the vehicle while its occupants were filming Narine’s home at Barr Street, Kitty, around midnight. It said Narine returned fire with his service handgun, police subsequently intercepted the car and an unlicensed firearm was found inside.
Mohamed has denied that anyone in the vehicle fired a weapon and has alleged that the firearm was planted. Those allegations have not been established by the court.
The government’s statement highlighted Narine’s role as a critical witness in the extradition proceedings against Mohamed and his father, and cited concerns he had expressed about his safety and that of his family. It said the state had a duty to protect witnesses and that the United States Department of Justice was being kept informed.
The AFC said the presence of tinted windows should not be treated as proof of criminal conduct. Any questions about compliance with tint regulations, it added, must be addressed through the applicable legal procedures.
It acknowledged the police’s responsibility to investigate alleged offences but said that responsibility must be exercised professionally, impartially and without political influence.
Walton-Desir placed her call for independent scrutiny against the backdrop of other controversies involving the force’s senior leadership, including the dismissal and criminal charges involving former Assistant Commissioner Calvin Brutus and the investigation into allegations against Deputy Commissioner Fizal Karimbaksh.
She stressed that those matters did not establish what occurred in the present incident, but argued that they were relevant to whether an internal investigation alone could command public confidence.
She also warned that perceptions of state institutions being drawn into political or personal grievances could undermine confidence in the protection of citizens’ rights, property and business interests.
“We as Guyanese are entitled to institutions we can trust and leadership focused on our safety, livelihoods and future, not on settling scores,” she said.
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