Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has raised serious questions about police conduct after alleging that officers fired at least seven shots at the vehicle in which he was travelling before a firearm was found during a subsequent search under circumstances he and his lawyer have challenged.
The incident reportedly unfolded around midnight on Monday, October 12, and continued into the early hours of Tuesday, October 13, with the confrontation captured on video. Footage shared by Mohamed appears to show marks on the vehicle’s exterior consistent with possible bullet impacts. Other recordings capture police officers accompanied by dogs searching the vehicles, followed by Mohamed being taken into custody at the Kitty Police Station—images that have intensified questions about the alleged shooting and the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
Mohamed identified Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, head of the Special Branch, as being involved in the alleged shooting, which he described as an attempt on his life.
His sister, Hana Khamelia, office manager of the Leader of the Opposition’s Office, addressed the incident in a Facebook post, writing:
“The Leader of the Opposition is alive after being shot at at least 7 times by Head of Special Branch Prem Narine. Azruddin Mohamed is arrested and Narine is at large.”
The footage provides a record of portions of the confrontation, but the number of shots fired, their source and the circumstances surrounding the apparent vehicle damage have not been independently established.
Disputed firearm discovery
The controversy intensified when police reportedly found a handgun during the search. Mohamed, Khamelia and his lawyer, Siand Dhurjon, challenged the discovery, maintaining that the vehicle had already been searched and no weapon was found. They alleged that the firearm was planted.
Dhurjon questioned how the vehicle could have been driven if a gun had been positioned beneath the accelerator pedal.
The circumstances warrant close scrutiny, including when the vehicle was first searched, who had access to it and how the firearm was recovered. The weapon’s chain of custody and any available forensic evidence should be examined independently.
Mohamed and an employee were reportedly handcuffed during the operation. A comprehensive public account from the Guyana Police Force was not available at the time of reporting.
Calls for transparency
The allegations come amid Mohamed’s ongoing legal battles, including extradition proceedings involving his father, Nazar Mohamed. The United States is seeking their extradition in connection with an 11-count federal indictment. These allegations remain subject to legal proceedings and are not findings of guilt.
Narine has also been questioned during the extradition proceedings about police surveillance and the circumstances surrounding the case. He has denied suggestions that police actions against Mohamed were politically motivated.
At the same time, Mohamed has been conducting nationwide visits, engaging directly with residents and listening to concerns about the cost of living, public services and conditions in their communities. His outreach has also brought him into the public spotlight through his criticism of alleged corruption, questions surrounding unexplained wealth attributed to President Irfaan Ali and other government ministers, and scrutiny of the assets and financial affairs of their families.
Mohamed’s nationwide outreach, outspoken criticism of the government and the unresolved legal proceedings have placed him at the centre of an increasingly contentious national debate, with some raising concerns that he may be the target of state overreach.
That background adds to the public interest in the latest incident but does not establish what happened during Tuesday morning’s confrontation.
The police must explain whether officers discharged firearms, what prompted the operation, the legal basis for Mohamed’s detention and the circumstances in which the handgun was found. Video recordings, vehicle damage, forensic evidence and officers’ reports should be preserved and examined as part of an impartial investigation.
Given the seriousness of the allegations involving the country’s Opposition Leader and a senior police official, the public deserves a prompt, evidence-based account of what transpired. If misconduct occurred, those responsible must be held accountable; if the allegations are disputed, an independent investigation should establish the facts.
