By: Travis Chase |HGPTV Nightly News |
Days before his expected swearing-in as Opposition Leader, businessman and political leader Azruddin Mohamed, along with his father, Nazar Mohamed, was arrested Friday morning following an extradition request from the United States.
The pair—both principals of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party—appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Judy Latchman, who granted $150,000 bail each during their afternoon court appearance.
According to police reports, the younger Mohamed was arrested outside the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) office on Smyth Street. At the same time, his father was taken into custody at his Lombard Street office.
Sources indicate that the U.S. indictment against the two men contains 11 counts of mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering.
After posting bail, Azruddin Mohamed strongly rejected the allegations, calling the move “politically motivated” and linking it to his upcoming swearing-in as Opposition Leader.
“These charges are baseless and politically charged. The timing is no coincidence,” Mohamed asserted, suggesting that his arrest forms part of a wider campaign to discredit his leadership ambitions.
The U.S. indictment reportedly alleges that between 2017 and 2024, the Mohameds—through their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise—evaded taxes and royalties by reusing gold export declarations and royalty documents.
Both men were previously sanctioned by the U.S. Government in 2024 for alleged involvement in corruption and gold smuggling, alongside their company.
Despite the allegations, Mohamed maintained his innocence and vowed to continue his political work, telling reporters,
“I am innocent. This is about politics, not justice.”
The case has sparked widespread debate both locally and internationally, coming at a politically sensitive time as Mohamed prepares to assume leadership of the parliamentary opposition officially.
