GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – Businessman and political aspirant Azruddin Mohamed did not appear in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for the continuation of his tax evasion case.
His attorney, Damian Da Silva, informed Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty that Mohamed was travelling from Linden when he was reportedly contacted by police for questioning. As a result, he said Mohamed proceeded directly to the police station instead of attending court.
The Chief Magistrate questioned why Mohamed chose to respond to the police over appearing before the court. Da Silva referenced an incident that allegedly took place at Mohamed’s family property the previous night, but he could not confirm whether his client had been arrested.
The matter was adjourned to August 7. The magistrate instructed the defence to advise Mohamed accordingly, stating that his continued absence from court would be a concern going forward.
Mohamed is currently out on $500,000 bail on charges of fraudulent declaration and tax evasion related to the importation of a Lamborghini Aventador. He has pleaded not guilty.
The charges stem from documents submitted to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), in which Mohamed declared the vehicle’s value as US$76,000. However, under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), the United States Department of Justice provided an original invoice showing that the vehicle was purchased for US$695,000.
In April, GRA officials, supported by police, attempted to seize several high-value vehicles from Mohamed’s Houston property, including a Rolls Royce, Ferrari, and multiple SUVs. The operation was halted after a crowd blocked access to the premises.
The GRA has alleged that the vehicles were imported under the re-migrant scheme but did not meet key requirements such as proof of residency and accurate value declaration. The total estimated tax liability in the case is nearly $900 million.
