Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed has strongly denied any wrongdoing in connection with the transfer of 11 motor vehicles, describing the recent dismissal of six Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) employees as politically motivated and calling for their immediate reinstatement. Mohamed made the statements on his Facebook page on Friday afternoon.
The employees, including a senior manager, were terminated following an internal GRA investigation, which found they facilitated vehicle transfers despite Mohamed’s sanctioned status in the United States. The GRA indicated that Mohamed is expected to be charged under Section 3(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act.
The section relates to the conversion or transfer of property known, or reasonably believed, to be derived from criminal activity, particularly when intended to conceal or disguise the illegal origin of the assets. The provision applies not only where there is direct knowledge but also where there are reasonable grounds to believe the property represents the proceeds of crime.
The AML/CFT Act provides the legal framework to prevent, detect, and prosecute money laundering and terrorist financing, criminalising the concealment or transfer of illicit assets and empowering authorities to investigate, seize, and forfeit property linked to criminal conduct.
According to the GRA, despite being aware that Mohamed has been sanctioned and indicted for alleged fraud, customs violations, and money laundering, certain employees acted in concert to transfer vehicles from his name to other individuals in a manner contrary to statute and established procedures, resulting in their termination.
Mohamed, however, insisted that the transactions were lawful, emphasising that the transfers were local and did not involve US businesses. “This has nothing to do with US entities,” he wrote. “The Government was doing business with me after the sanctions. Payments were made to me after the sanctions, so why are workers now being punished?”
He accused the Government of selectively enforcing regulations to target him politically and stressed that the employees were performing their duties without breaching any laws.
According to information obtained by Stabroek News, while staff were aware of Mohamed’s sanctioned status, existing GRA Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) provided no specific guidance for handling such transfers. Sources within the GRA reportedly said that no formal restrictions or SOPs governed these transactions and that employees failed to seek supervisory guidance.
Political analysts have also questioned whether the dismissals constitute persecution aimed at securing a conviction that could lead to Mohamed’s removal from the National Assembly, noting that the extradition process could be prolonged, as his legal team has indicated it intends to take the case to the Caribbean Court of Justice, Guyana’s court of last resort.
Mohamed said the vehicles involved were mostly older models, including Toyota Allions, Premios, and Ford Raptors, some of which he claimed were previously used by President Irfaan Ali in 2020. He explained that inspections were conducted off-site at his residence because insurance companies had canceled policies on the vehicles due to his sanctioned status, but all required documentation—including registration certificates, TIN certificates, identification cards, and agreements of sale—was submitted.
He further stated that inspection fees and transfer charges totaling millions of dollars were paid, and that no system blocks existed at the GRA at the time. Mohamed also denied having any personal relationship with the dismissed employees and expressed concern about the impact of their termination on their families, noting that one worker had served the Authority for nearly 30 years.
Mohamed added that he has transferred, sold, or gifted vehicles for years to family members, employees, and vulnerable persons, including single mothers and persons with disabilities, and reiterated that the transactions were routine and fully documented.
