By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News |
United States prosecutors have moved to fast-track the extradition proceedings against gold dealers Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, formally requesting that the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court advance the hearing to later this month.
The request was made less than 24 hours after Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman adjourned the matter to February 5 and 6, granting the defence time to review newly submitted material—specifically a statement from Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd.
Defence attorneys, however, have rejected the proposal, saying an earlier date is not feasible. In a strongly worded response to the court, Roysdale Forde, Siand Dhurjon, and Damien Da Silva stated that they are bound by what they described as inflexible professional and personal commitments and cannot agree to any change in the schedule.
The defence also questioned the sudden shift in position by lead prosecutor Terrence Williams KC, noting that no explanation was offered for the late-night request to revisit dates that had been agreed upon in open court just a day earlier.
In correspondence to the Clerk of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, Williams indicated that prosecutors for the requesting state—the United States—had reorganised their schedules and were now available to proceed on or before January 20, or during the week of January 26. He asked the court to convene the earliest possible hearing suitable for all parties.
The defence reminded the court that the February 5 and 6 dates were not selected arbitrarily but were the result of extensive discussions and were explicitly confirmed as workable for all involved. They maintained that fairness and adequate preparation time must be preserved, particularly given the introduction of new evidence.
The court has not yet indicated whether it will accede to the prosecution’s request to advance the hearing.
