AFC Leader Raises Alarm Over Politically Motivated Prosecutions
By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News
The Alliance For Change (AFC) is raising red flags over what it says is an alarming rise in politically motivated prosecutions and legal overreach under the current administration.
Speaking at a recent press conference, AFC Leader and Senior Counsel Nigel Hughes described the trend as a systemic dismantling of democratic safeguards and constitutional freedoms meant to protect all Guyanese citizens.
Hughes cited recent legal proceedings involving several high-profile figures—including businessman and political aspirant Azuddin Muhamed, political activist Rickford Burke, and social commentator Daniel Wharton, also known as “Baby Skello”—as evidence of selective targeting.
“In MuhamEd’s case,” Hughes explained, “tax-related charges were filed years after the matter had already been resolved, raising serious questions about the political motivations behind the move.”
He also pointed to the defamation charges brought against Rickford Burke, noting that the laws under which he was charged had already been declared unconstitutional. He criticized the government for allegedly attempting to serve Burke with a summons outside of national jurisdiction, a move he called legally questionable.
Further, Hughes expressed concern over the recent reopening of the Ricardo Fagundes (aka “Paper Shorts”) murder investigation, claiming that many view the timing as an attempt to politically discredit Muhammad rather than a genuine effort to pursue justice.
“Even the appearance of prosecutorial bias in a democracy erodes public trust,” Hughes stated. “Whether politically timed or not, the optics are deeply troubling.”
He argued that these cases are not isolated, but instead represent a broader erosion of institutional independence, warning that when law enforcement and judicial tools are used as political weapons, it undermines the entire democratic framework.
“This misuse of state power, particularly in a country already grappling with economic inequality,” he added, “only serves to deepen public distrust and cynicism.”
The AFC is now calling for greater transparency, institutional checks and balances, and a return to rule-of-law principles to restore public confidence in the justice system.
