United States (US)-sanctioned and indicted Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, along with members of his parliamentary team and APNU Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan, participated in a picketing exercise on Tuesday, outside the building that previously housed the Canadian High Commission, where placards called for the arrest of Senior Superintendent Prem Narine and the revocation of his Canadian and United States visas, as well as those of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Officer Rodwell Sarabo, among other issues.
Specifically, the placard held by Mohamed states, “Special Branch Chief Prem Narine and CID Officer Rodwell Sarabo accused of offering US visa in exchange for false murder testimony against Azruddin Mohamed.”
The protest comes despite an explicit condition imposed by Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty when Mohamed was granted bail last Friday in connection with three criminal charges, including attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
Under the conditions, Mohamed, his driver, Eugene Thorne and videographer Mario Mohamed are prohibited from directly or indirectly contacting, threatening, intimidating, or attempting to influence any prosecution witness. They are also barred from obstructing or interfering with the work of the prosecution and from contacting Narine or his immediate family.
Sarabo is a witness in the extradition proceedings against Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, which are ongoing at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Speaking with Guyana Times, an attorney-at-law said that the placards targeting Narine and Sarabo do raise questions about the extent to which the protest aligns with the restrictions imposed by the court. However, whether the conduct constitutes a breach of the bail conditions would depend on the specific circumstances and any determination by the court.
Narine, who heads the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch, was identified by the prosecution as a witness expected to continue his evidence in the extradition proceedings initiated at the request of the United States.
The latest protest also follows allegations raised during last Friday’s bail hearing that Narine had received threats and feared for his life. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Diana O’Brien had opposed bail, citing concerns about possible witness interference and arguing that Section 7 of the Bail Act 2022 allows bail to be refused where there is a substantial likelihood of interference with witnesses, tampering with evidence or obstruction of justice.
However, McGusty ruled that bail could be granted, noting that the prosecution had not presented sufficient information to suggest that the three accused would fail to comply with conditions imposed by the court.
The trio were each granted $750,000 bail, comprising $250,000 on each of the three charges. They pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
The obstruction charge alleges that on October 12, at Barr Street, Kitty, the men wilfully attempted to obstruct the administration of justice by discharging a firearm at or in the vicinity of Narine’s residence. The firearm and ammunition charges relate to an alleged possession of a .32 Taurus pistol and three rounds of ammunition without valid licences on October 13 at Alexander Street, Kitty.
As part of their bail conditions, the men must attend every court hearing, reside at the addresses provided to the court and report any change of address. They must also keep their contact details updated, surrender their passports and other travel documents, and inform the court before applying for replacement travel documents.
They are further required to stay away from Narine’s residence and are prohibited from traversing Barr Street between Vlissengen Road and Alexander Street.
They are also required to not directly or indirectly contact, threaten, intimidate, or attempt to influence any prosecution witness. Additionally, they were instructed not to obstruct or interfere with the work of the prosecution and not contact Prem Narine or his immediate family.
The three men are scheduled to return to court on November 6.
The protest for the revocation of Narine’s visa comes as he is in Canada to attend his graduation, having completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Narine completed the MBA in 2024 through the Australian Institute of Business, an internationally accredited institution. He attended his graduation ceremony on October 15, 2026, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada.
The extradition proceedings against Azruddin Mohamed and his father stem from a request by the United States, where they are wanted to answer criminal charges, including wire and mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, and customs violations linked to an alleged US$50 million gold-export and tax-evasion scheme.
The indictment also alleges that Azruddin Mohamed participated in a separate scheme involving the importation of a Lamborghini from Miami to Guyana, in which the vehicle’s declared value was allegedly understated to evade more than US$1 million in taxes.
Both men have been granted $150,000 bail each in the extradition proceedings, subject to conditions including surrendering their passports and reporting to the Ruimveldt Police Station as directed by the court.
The extradition matter is scheduled to continue on October 21 and 22 before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Courts.
Discover more from INews Guyana
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
