The extradition proceedings against Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, businessman Nazar Mohamed, are set to resume before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court in September after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) dismissed their appeal challenging how the process was initiated.
The matter has been fixed for hearing on September 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10 before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman, following Tuesday’s decision by the region’s apex court to lift the interim stay it had imposed in March while considering the Mohameds’ appeal.
In its ruling, the CCJ granted the applicants special leave to appeal but dismissed the substantive appeal, clearing the way for the extradition proceedings before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court to continue.
The Court also ordered that there be no order as to costs before the CCJ, while reserving the issue of costs incurred in the High Court and Court of Appeal for later determination.
The extradition case arises from a request submitted by the United States Government in October 2025 seeking the surrender of the Mohameds to face an 11-count criminal indictment alleging conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
Following receipt of the request, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond issued an Authority to Proceed (ATP) under the Fugitive Offenders Act on October 30, 2025. The following day, the then Principal Magistrate issued warrants for the arrest of the two men, formally commencing extradition proceedings.
While those proceedings were underway, the Mohameds filed judicial review proceedings in the High Court, arguing that the Minister’s decision to issue the Authority to Proceed was invalid because it was tainted by actual and apparent bias. They also contended that the Attorney General’s involvement in the process further compromised the legality of the decision.
Their application was dismissed by both the High Court and the Court of Appeal, prompting them to seek special leave to appeal to the CCJ.
Pending the determination of the appeal, the CCJ granted an interim stay of the extradition proceedings on March 25, effectively halting the committal hearing before the Magistrates’ Court.
In dismissing the appeal on Tuesday, the CCJ ruled that although the legal rule against bias applies to the Minister’s decision to issue an Authority to Proceed, the applicants failed to establish that the decision-making process had been unlawfully affected by bias.
The Court held that the Minister had exercised the statutory function required under the Fugitive Offenders Act and found no evidence that relevant considerations had been ignored or irrelevant matters taken into account when the Authority to Proceed was issued.
With the stay now lifted, the extradition proceedings will resume before the Magistrates’ Court on September 3, where the court will continue the committal phase of the case.
During those proceedings, the magistrate will determine whether the evidence presented by the requesting state is sufficient under Guyanese law to justify committing Azruddin Mohamed and Nazar Mohamed for extradition to the United States. If the magistrate finds that the statutory requirements have been met, the matter will proceed to the next stage of the extradition process as prescribed under the Fugitive Offenders Act.
Discussion