COURT OF APPEAL REFUSES BID TO HALT MOHAMED EXTRADITION CASE, ANOTHER RULING SET FOR MARCH 17

By: Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — In a major blow to the legal defense of U.S.-sanctioned businessmen Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, the Guyana Court of Appeal on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, refused an application to stay their ongoing extradition proceedings.

The ruling effectively clears the way for the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to continue hearing the case, even as the Mohameds await a critical decision on the constitutionality of the government’s authority to hand them over to U.S. officials.

The Ruling: No Stay for the “Authority to Proceed”

The appellate bench’s refusal to grant a stay means that the lower court process will not be paused. The Mohameds’ legal team, led by Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, had argued that the proceedings should be halted until the Court of Appeal rules on their substantive challenge against the Minister of Home Affairs.

• Defense Position: Forde argued that the “Authority to Proceed” issued on October 30, 2025, by Minister Oneidge Walrond was a breach of natural justice and an “unlawful and arbitrary” exercise of power.
• The Constitutional Challenge: The defense is also challenging sections of the Fugitive Offenders (Amendment) Act of 2009, seeking to have the extradition authorization quashed through judicial review.

The State’s Argument: “No Likelihood of Success”

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, representing the state, argued forcefully against any further delays. Nandlall characterized the Mohameds’ legal maneuvers as lacking merit, asserting that there is “no likelihood of success” in their substantive appeal.

“The matter below [in the Magistrates’ Court] should proceed… this challenge is merely an attempt to delay the inevitable process of justice.” — Attorney General Anil Nandlall

The Road to March 17

While the Magistrates’ Court continues its work, all eyes are now on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. This is the date the Court of Appeal has set to deliver its final ruling on the substantive appeal.

Possible Outcomes on March 17:

1. Appeal Upheld: If the court finds the Minister’s “Authority to Proceed” was unlawful, the entire extradition process could be collapsed or sent back to square one.
2. Appeal Dismissed: If the court rules in favor of the state, the Mohameds will have exhausted their local appellate options, bringing them one step closer to being handed over to U.S. authorities.

Context: U.S. Sanctions and Gold Smuggling

The extradition request follows the June 2024 sanctions imposed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury against the Mohameds. The U.S. has alleged that the duo was involved in a massive gold-smuggling network that defrauded the Government of Guyana of tax revenue and undermined the integrity of the international financial system.