The United States Embassy in Georgetown has clarified that the lawyers representing the state in the extradition proceedings of prominent businessmen Nazar “Shell” Mohamed and his son, turned politician Azruddin Mohamed, are retained by the Government of Guyana and not by the U.S. government.
In a statement, the U.S. Embassy spokesperson confirmed:
“The attorneys appearing in the Guyanese extradition proceedings of Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed are NOT retained by the U.S. government. They are retained by the Guyanese government and are advocating for the extradition of Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed to the United States to face charges filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, pursuant to the U.S. extradition request.”
The clarification follows widespread confusion and speculation over who is funding and directing the legal representation in one of Guyana’s most politically charged cases. The Mohameds are accused by U.S. prosecutors of large-scale gold smuggling, money laundering, and wire and mail fraud through their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise.
According to the U.S. indictment, unsealed in October 2025, the Mohameds allegedly exported more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold between 2017 and 2024, evading duties and defrauding the Guyanese state of over US$50 million.
Guyana’s Treaty Obligations and Legal Representation
The extradition request was filed under the 1931 Extradition Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom, which remains binding on Guyana as a successor state. Locally, the process is governed by the Fugitive Offenders Act (Cap. 10:04).
Attorney General Anil Nandlall, S.C., explained that Guyana is legally bound to act on behalf of the requesting state under the treaty.
“The law is clear,” Nandlall said. “Under our treaty obligations, when an extradition request is received from a treaty partner, the Attorney General’s Chambers — acting on behalf of the Government of Guyana — must represent that request in the courts of this country. That representation is not political; it is procedural and statutory.”
Nandlall noted that the attorneys retained — including Jamaican King’s Counsel Terrence F. Williams — are not working for the U.S. Department of Justice but for the Government of Guyana, in fulfillment of its duty as the “requested state.”
Government documents confirm that US$62,558.78 was approved as payment to the Jamaican legal team, led by Williams and including Herbert McKenzie and Celine Deidrick, to represent the Guyana Police Force in the extradition proceedings.
However, Williams told the media Monday that the team was retained by the United States, and that Guyanese attorney Glen Hanoman is also part of that team. Nazar Mohamed has claimed the US$62,558.78 represents payment for the month of October only.
While Attorney General Nandlall insists the payments are consistent with Guyana’s obligations as the requested state, the contradictory statements have fueled questions about transparency and accountability. Analysts have warned that the inconsistencies expose “serious miscommunication and potential mishandling at the official level.”
Political Tensions and Accusations of Bias
The Mohameds have accused the government of weaponising state power against them, claiming the extradition effort is part of a politically motivated campaign.
Azruddin Mohamed, who now leads the opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, has emerged as a key political challenger to the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP). WIN secured 16 seats in the September 2025 General Elections, making it a significant opposition force.
Government officials have dismissed the claims of political targeting.
“The offences that are charged are not political in nature in any form or fashion,” Nandlall emphasised. “These proceedings are strictly judicial, not political, and they relate to alleged criminal conduct committed between 2017 and 2024.”
However, the Mohameds’ defence team maintains that several of the alleged offences are not extraditable under Guyanese law or the 1931 treaty. Further, Guyana is an independent (sovereign) nation (1966) with its own Constitution and Laws that supersede a Treaty signed when Guyana was a colony.
Attorney Siand Dhurjon stated:
“The offences for which Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed are wanted in the U.S. are not extraditable offences under the laws of our land.”
Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, also representing the Mohameds, elaborated:
“On the Order fraud, there are inherently extra-territorial offences, which means from the point of view of the United States, they are capable of being committed corresponding outside of the country. Correspondingly, there is no such provision in Guyana, because all the Laws of Guyana in relation to criminality, except where specifically stated, are only capable of being committed in Guyana. So, you can’t have a corresponding offense in Guyana in relation to an offence being committed in the United States.”
Next Steps
The Mohameds were each granted G$150,000 bail on October 31, 2025, and have surrendered their passports. They are required to report weekly to the police. The extradition matter is scheduled to continue on November 24, 2025, when both sides will make further submissions.
The U.S. Embassy’s clarification has reshaped the debate, distancing Washington from the local proceedings while underscoring Guyana’s treaty obligations. Legal observers say the outcome will not only determine the fate of Nazar “Shell” Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed but will also reveal how far Guyana is prepared to go in defending the rule of law, transparency, and judicial independence under the glare of international scrutiny.
