Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has recounted what he described as a terrifying encounter with Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Narine, head of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch Unit, alleging that the senior officer fired several shots in his direction during a confrontation on October 12.
Mohamed gave his account to reporters on Friday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he appeared alongside his driver, Eugene Thorne, and videographer, Mario Mohamed, to answer criminal charges arising from the incident. All three were granted bail of $750,000 each.
In a defiant account, Mohamed maintained that the confrontation could have cost him his life and alleged that the shooting was a deliberate attempt to kill him.
“I am thankful for life. Life is the most important thing, right? I could have been a dead man, and that is what the PPP needs to focus in on,” Mohamed told reporters.
He added that the outcome could have been dramatically different.
“Today is either the reporters and the country mourning for the Opposition Leader, preparing for my janazah, my burial, or I would have been in the hospital.”
Mohamed’s account offers a sharply different version of the confrontation from that presented by the police and Government. His allegations, including that Narine deliberately opened fire at him, have not been independently established.
Says school incident prompted his journey
Recounting the events leading up to the confrontation, Mohamed said he received a telephone call at about 10 p.m. from two parents who reported that a gate at Ramakrishna Primary School in Kitty had fallen on their children, aged six and seven.
He said he intended to travel to Middleton Street, Kitty, to look into the matter and raise the reported safety concerns with Education Minister Sonia Parag.
Mohamed said that, while travelling through the area, he noticed police vehicles stationed near locations where he suspected state resources were being used to provide security for private interests.
He alleged that a police vehicle had been parked outside the Aiden Hotel on Ross Street for an extended period, with officers reportedly remaining there around the clock.
He said he stopped and recorded footage of the location on his cellphone before proceeding towards Barr Street.
According to Mohamed, he subsequently observed two vehicles parked in the area with their engines and lights on. He said he and his staff turned back and began recording the vehicles.
“I don’t even know if Prem is living on the left or the right. All I’m concerned about is the abuse of state resources,” he said, maintaining that his intention was to document what he considered the misuse of public resources.
Alleges officer fired several shots
Mohamed alleged that the situation escalated when Narine emerged from a police pickup and began firing in his direction.
He said he attempted to question the officer, asking what was wrong, but the shooting continued.
“I put my hands in the air. I said, Prem, what is the matter with you? And pow pow pow about four to five shots were aimed to my direction.”
He said the manner in which Narine approached the vehicle and fired at him convinced him that his life was in danger.
Asked why he believed the incident was a setup, Mohamed said he had received information about vehicles stationed near Narine’s residence before the confrontation.
He also alleged that the officer had access to CCTV footage and police communications that enabled him to monitor his movements.
“Yes, it was a setup,” Mohamed declared when questioned directly about his allegation.
He further suggested that the confrontation might have been politically motivated, although he provided no independently verifiable evidence to establish that President Irfaan Ali or any other government official directed the alleged shooting.
Police version differs
The police have offered a different account of the October 12 incident. According to their account, Narine was at his Barr Street residence when a black Toyota Allion passed slowly before returning. During the vehicle’s second pass, the officer reportedly heard what appeared to be a gunshot, took cover and fired his service weapon in the vehicle’s direction.
The Government has also alleged that an unlicensed firearm was found in the vehicle. Mohamed has denied wrongdoing and alleged that the weapon was planted.
The circumstances surrounding the gunfire, including who fired first and the evidence supporting the competing accounts, remain central to the case.
The incident has attracted additional attention because Narine is a witness in the extradition proceedings involving Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, whom United States authorities are seeking in connection with allegations including fraud and money laundering. The men deny the allegations.
Defiant despite safety concerns
Despite expressing concern for his safety, Mohamed insisted that the incident would not prevent him from carrying out his responsibilities as Opposition Leader.
He said visiting communities and engaging directly with citizens were important parts of his political work and alleged that the confrontation was intended to discourage him from doing so.
“Of course I am concerned for my safety,” he said. “Because the manner in which Prem jumped out of that vehicle was to kill.”
Mohamed warned that he feared similar incidents could occur again, alleging that police could stop him, search his vehicle and plant evidence.
His appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday, alongside two staff who also faced criminal charges, placed the confrontation and the competing accounts of what happened under renewed public scrutiny.
Mohamed maintains that he was the target of an attempted killing. The police and Government have presented a different version of events, and the allegations on both sides must be assessed against the available evidence and the ongoing legal proceedings.
The critical questions remain what triggered the confrontation, who discharged a firearm first, and what CCTV footage, ballistics testing and other forensic evidence may establish about the events of October 12.
