GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman has withdrawn an arrest warrant issued earlier on Monday for Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, saying she will temper justice with mercy and allowing him to be released from custody.
The warrant had been issued for Mohamed, who failed to appear on time for the continuation of his extradition proceedings to the United States.
“You were absent this morning,” the magistrate told him, to which he replied, “Yes, I was. I am sorry I arrived late, but I have reasons and can prove why I was late.”
Mohamed explained that upon waking, he found that two tyres on his vehicle had been damaged. He also told the court that he is currently dependent on a driver due to insurance issues affecting his vehicles.
The magistrate reminded him that he had previously been late and had been warned that “9 o’clock is 9 o’clock.”
“Under this court’s watch, the wheels of justice will continue to turn promptly,” Magistrate Latchman said, indicating that she was inclined to escheat his bail and remand him to prison to guarantee his attendance at the next hearing.
“I will not tolerate excuses,” she added, before asking what guarantee the court had that the situation would not recur, to which one of his attorneys said that he would personally ensure Mohamed’s punctual attendance in the future.
Last weekend, lawyers representing the Opposition Leader and his billionaire businessman father, Nazar Mohamed, said they are seeking an order from the Court of Appeal suspending the extradition committal proceedings in the magistrate’s court.
The magistrate cautioned Mohamed not to let the situation happen again and made it clear that next time, bail would be withdrawn.
The lawyers said that they want the Court of Appeal to suspend the proceedings until a substantive appeal of an earlier High Court ruling decision on the Authority to Proceed (ATP)
The Mohameds have been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for allegedly smuggling more than 10,000 kilograms of gold worth more than US$50 million and, in the process, failing to pay the relevant taxes to the Guyana government.
Last October, a US Federal Grand Jury unsealed an 11-count indictment on the Mohameds for alleged wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. Subsequently, the US requested his extradition to face trial for those alleged crimes.
The extradition matter has been adjourned to February 18.
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