By: Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News |
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has withdrawn and discontinued multi-million-dollar tax-related charges against businessman and Member of Parliament Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed. This move has raised questions, as the reasons for the withdrawal remain unclear.
When the embattled father-and-son duo appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to answer the fresh charges, they were informed that all matters had been officially dropped.
Their attorney, Siand Durjohn, told reporters outside the courthouse that the GRA’s actions amounted to a “fishing expedition.”
“It appears the GRA went on a fishing expedition,” Durjohn stated, adding that the charges may have been used as leverage to gain bargaining power.
The charges stemmed from an alleged underreporting of gold export earnings uncovered during an extensive audit of Mohamed’s Enterprise and its financial records, as described by the GRA. However, sources close to the case revealed that the company had formally filed objections to the GRA’s assessment within the legal timeframe, effectively freezing enforcement action until those objections were resolved.
Attorney Durjohn further suggested that the withdrawal indicates the GRA may have acted prematurely or without sufficient evidence to sustain the charges.
Meanwhile, Azruddin Mohamed, who also leads the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Party, continues to maintain that his legal troubles are politically motivated.
“This is part of a campaign of political persecution,” Mohamed asserted, pointing to what he describes as efforts to tarnish his reputation ahead of next year’s general elections.
As of Thursday, no official comment was forthcoming from the Guyana Revenue Authority regarding the abrupt withdrawal.
Both Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed remain under indictment by a U.S. Grand Jury on charges of conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and gold smuggling, and are currently challenging a U.S. extradition request in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
