Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has intensified his campaign against Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Narine, demanding the immediate release of CCTV footage surrounding a recent shooting incident in Kitty and calling on American and Canadian authorities to revoke the senior police officer’s visas.
Addressing a protest outside the Canadian embassy on Tuesday, Mohamed accused Narine of attempting to orchestrate his political and criminal persecution, alleging that the October 12 incident outside the police officer’s Barr Street residence was an assassination attempt.
He challenged authorities to release the surveillance footage, insisting that the recordings would expose what he described as the true circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
“Why is it they cannot release the footage? I want the footage to be released so you can see the manner in which Prem Narine operated there. This was an assassination attempt, and once that footage is released, you will see for yourself.”
The demand comes amid conflicting accounts of the incident, which resulted in Mohamed and two members of his staff being arrested and subsequently charged.
According to the Guyana Police Force, Narine reported hearing what appeared to be a gunshot as a vehicle passed his residence and subsequently returned. The officer reportedly took cover and returned fire before the vehicle left the area.
Mohamed, however, maintains that he and his associates were attempting to record what they considered an excessive deployment of state security resources at Narine’s home when they came under fire.
On October 16, Mohamed, his driver Eugene Thorne and videographer Mario Mohamed were each granted $750,000 bail after pleading not guilty to charges relating to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and attempting to obstruct the course of justice. The charges remain before the court.
The controversy is particularly sensitive because Narine has been testifying in the ongoing United States extradition proceedings involving Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed. The proceedings concern allegations of financial crimes, which the accused have contested.
Visa revocation demand
At Tuesday’s protest, Mohamed called on the United States and Canada to revoke Narine’s visas, alleging that the officer had connections within US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and could influence visa decisions.
“I would like to thank the people of this country for their prayers and calling on the U.S. authorities and the Canadian authorities to ensure Prem Narine’s visa must be revoked.”
Mohamed further alleged that Narine had offered some of his former employees millions of dollars to provide false testimony implicating him in murder.
He claimed that the alleged effort was intended to frame him for a serious criminal offence and said he possessed information about individuals he believes were connected to the alleged scheme.
Those allegations have not been independently verified, and Mohamed did not publicly produce supporting evidence during the protest.
The Opposition Leader also called on American authorities to meet with him, claiming he could provide names and other information concerning the alleged connections.
His accusations follow earlier court proceedings in which Narine testified that intelligence information linked Mohamed to several killings. Narine acknowledged during questioning that he was not personally present when those killings occurred.
Eight Days without his phone
Mohamed also complained that police had retained his cellphone for eight days, describing the device as essential to his work as Opposition Leader.
“My phone is like my office. How can people reach out to the Opposition Leader?”
He accused the authorities of using state resources to target him while failing to address the needs of ordinary Guyanese.
Mohamed’s demands now place renewed pressure on investigators to clarify whether relevant CCTV recordings exist, whether they have been reviewed and whether they will be disclosed through the appropriate legal process.
The central questions surrounding the shooting remain unresolved. The release of relevant footage, if available and subject to lawful disclosure, could help establish a clearer account of the events that night.
Until then, Mohamed’s allegations against Narine remain contested claims, while the criminal charges against the Opposition Leader continue through the judicial process.
