Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed was arrested on Wednesday as police intensified an investigation into an alleged GY$800,000 payment to a police constable for surveillance footage linked to an October 12 shooting incident involving a senior police officer.
The arrest marks a further development in a controversy involving the handling of surveillance evidence, the legality of police detention and competing claims surrounding an incident that has drawn considerable public attention.
The investigation centres on footage Mohamed released publicly at a press conference on Monday, October 26. The Opposition Leader has maintained that the recording contradicts the police account of the shooting outside the Kitty residence of Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, head of the Special Branch.
According to the Guyana Police Force, 20-year-old Constable Ryan Greene, attached to its Command Centre was arrested on October 26 over the alleged unauthorised disclosure of the recording.
Police alleged that the constable downloaded the footage on October 23 and transferred it to an external storage device. Investigators further alleged that Mohamed paid the officer G$800,000 on October 24 in exchange for the recording.
The allegations have not been established in court.
Todd threatens legal action over Greene detentions
The investigation has also triggered a legal challenge involving Constable Greene, and his mother, Nikita Greene, who were arrested in connection with the alleged leak.
Attorney Dr Dexter Todd reportedly intervened on their behalf, demanding their release and warning that he would approach the High Court if the police continued to detain them.
According to other media reports Todd gave the police until 6 a.m. on Wednesday to release the pair, arguing that the circumstances described to him did not justify their continued detention.
His intervention placed the legality of the arrests under scrutiny, raising questions about the grounds on which the two were being held and whether the authorities had complied with constitutional protections governing arrest and detention.
Todd’s reported threat of court action came as the police investigation focused on how the footage was obtained and whether money had changed hands in exchange for its disclosure.
A separate High Court application seeking the release of Greene and his mother was subsequently reported by Demerara Waves. The application was filed by Greene’s father, Randy Greene, through attorney Darren Wade.
The filing challenges the legality of the arrests and raises concerns about the grounds for detention. The arguments contained in the application are those of the applicant and do not constitute a judicial finding that the police acted unlawfully.
The available reports do not establish whether Todd formally joined the High Court proceedings.
Attorney General raises evidence-tampering concerns
Attorney General Anil Nandlall has argued that the alleged payment for the footage could amount to evidence tampering and potentially expose Mohamed to additional criminal charges.
Nandlall’s comments focused on the implications of obtaining and publicly releasing material connected to criminal proceedings.
However, the Attorney General’s interpretation is not a judicial determination. The available reports do not establish that additional charges have been formally filed against Mohamed specifically over the alleged payment for the recording.
Mohamed has accused the authorities of targeting him politically and has characterised the shooting incident as an assassination attempt. Those claims remain subject to independent verification.
Shooting case and extradition proceedings
The CCTV controversy is unfolding alongside a separate criminal case arising from the October 12 incident. Mohamed and two members of his staff, Eugene Thorne and Mario Mohamed, have faced firearm and ammunition offences and a charge of attempting to obstruct the course of justice. They have pleaded not guilty and were granted bail.
Narine is also a witness in the United States’ extradition proceedings against Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed. The US request concerns allegations of financial crimes, including fraud and money laundering, which both men deny.
The latest developments leave several issues to be resolved: the circumstances surrounding Mohamed’s arrest, the evidence supporting the alleged payment, the legality of Greene and his mother’s detention, and the significance of the footage to the underlying shooting investigation.
Those questions will ultimately depend on the evidence presented and the decisions of the relevant courts. None of the allegations should be treated as proven before the legal process has run its course.
