The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, deliver its judgment in a closely watched appeal from Guyana concerning a stay of extradition proceedings to the United States involving Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, the region’s apex court announced that the ruling will be handed down at 2:00 p.m. AST, bringing the latest chapter in a case that has generated significant legal and political interest in Guyana.
The appeal centers on the legality of the Authority to Proceed (ATP) issued by Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond, which authorised the commencement of extradition proceedings against the Mohameds at the request of the United States.
The father and son are asking the CCJ to overturn that decision, arguing that the Authority to Proceed was unlawfully issued. While they have maintained that they are not challenging extradition in principle, they contend that the legal process authorizing the proceedings did not comply with the law.
The United States is seeking the extradition of the Mohameds on allegations including mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. They have denied the allegations.
The matter reached the CCJ after the Mohameds suffered a series of setbacks in Guyana’s courts. The High Court dismissed their application for judicial review of Walrond’s decision to issue the Authority to Proceed, and the Court of Appeal subsequently upheld that ruling, prompting the appeal to Guyana’s final appellate court.
Earlier this year, the CCJ granted an interim stay of the extradition proceedings, temporarily halting committal hearings before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court while it considered the appeal. During oral arguments, attorneys for the Mohameds argued that allowing the extradition process to continue before the appeal was determined could result in irreparable prejudice if the Authority to Proceed were ultimately found to be invalid.
Wednesday’s judgment is expected to determine whether the stay should remain in force and whether the Authority to Proceed issued by Walrond was lawfully made.
The ruling could have significant implications for the future of the extradition proceedings. If the CCJ dismisses the appeal, the matter is expected to return to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for the extradition proceedings to continue. However, if the appeal succeeds, the court could set aside the Authority to Proceed or issue directions affecting how the extradition request is to be handled.
The decision will be delivered at 2:00 p.m. AST on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, and is expected to be closely watched by the legal fraternity, political observers and supporters of the Mohameds, given its potential impact on one of Guyana’s most prominent extradition cases in recent years.
