GEORGETOWN – Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has laid the blame squarely at the feet of Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken, declaring that he will be held personally responsible for allowing Azruddin Mohamed’s uninsured Lamborghini to be driven on public roads.
Speaking at his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo issued a stern warning to the top cop following public outrage over Mohamed’s dramatic arrival at the opening of the 13th Parliament in the same luxury vehicle that is now the subject of an ongoing tax evasion case.
“I would hold Hicken, the Commissioner of Police, personally responsible if a child or anyone gets hit down and killed or maimed by that Lamborghini,” Jagdeo declared. “Nobody else in this country could do that sort of thing, it’s illegal.”
Jagdeo said the incident exposed a worrying double standard in law enforcement, arguing that an ordinary citizen would face immediate arrest if caught driving an uninsured vehicle. “Driving without insurance is an offence,” he reminded. “If you hit someone on the road without it, you’re in big trouble. So why is this man being allowed to parade around like he’s untouchable?”
The Vice President accused Mohamed, who is indicted in the United States on charges including gold smuggling, money laundering, and tax evasion, of deliberately flouting the law to send a message that he can act with impunity. “He drove that car to Parliament to show that he can break the law and get away with it,” Jagdeo said.
“It’s criminal behaviour, and he’s flaunting it in the faces of law-abiding citizens.” Jagdeo reminded reporters that Mohamed is currently before the courts in Guyana for allegedly undervaluing the Lamborghini and submitting falsified documents to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to avoid paying taxes.
Despite this, the businessman arrived at Parliament behind the wheel of the same car, one that, according to Jagdeo, has no valid insurance. “This is the kind of brazenness that erodes public confidence in law enforcement,” Jagdeo said. “The police can’t turn a blind eye when a man facing criminal charges drives an illegal vehicle through the city as if nothing applies to him.”
The Vice President’s comments have placed renewed pressure on the Guyana Police Force to respond to mounting questions about why the vehicle was not impounded and whether officers had been instructed to overlook the violation. For Jagdeo, the issue is about accountability at every level. “It’s not just about the car,” he said. “It’s about whether the law in Guyana applies to everyone, or only to those without power.”
