Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and Police Constable Ryan Greene were on Friday remanded to prison until November 24 after Magistrate Abigail Gibbs refused bail during their appearance at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court in connection with the alleged unauthorised disclosure of police surveillance footage.
The prosecution successfully opposed bail, arguing that the alleged transfer of CCTV recordings from the Police Command Centre amounted to witness interference and could obstruct the administration of justice.
At the centre of the case is footage relating to an October 12 shooting incident outside the Kitty residence of Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, head of the Special Branch. Police allege that Greene, a 20-year-old constable attached to the Command Centre, accessed and downloaded the recordings before transferring them to Mohamed in exchange for GY$800,000.
Neither accused has been convicted, and the allegations remain before the courts.
The case has attracted heightened public attention following Mohamed’s decision to release approximately 23 minutes of surveillance footage at a press conference on October 26. He claimed the recordings showed Narine firing shots at his vehicle in what he described as an attempt on his life.
Police have presented a different account of the October 12 incident, alleging that Mohamed’s vehicle was involved in the gunfire and that an unlicensed firearm was recovered. Mohamed was previously charged in connection with the incident and granted bail.
His subsequent arrest over the surveillance recordings has added another dimension to an already contentious confrontation between the Opposition Leader and the police.
Narine is also a key witness in extradition proceedings involving Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, who are wanted by United States authorities over allegations including fraud and money laundering. Both men deny wrongdoing.
The prosecution’s argument that releasing the surveillance recordings could interfere with witnesses and obstruct justice is therefore central to its opposition to bail.
Mohamed’s legal team, led by Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde and including attorney-at-law Darren Wade, indicated that they would immediately approach the High Court to challenge the denial of bail and seek their clients’ release.
Greene’s detention has also drawn legal scrutiny. In a separate habeas corpus proceeding, the High Court ordered the release of his mother, Nikita Greene, after finding insufficient grounds to justify her detention, while declining to order the constable’s release.
Meanwhile, supporters of Mohamed’s We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party have staged protests following his arrest, with the case unfolding amid heightened political tensions during King Charles III’s state visit to Guyana.
The remand of the Opposition Leader raises broader questions about due process, the handling of politically sensitive investigations and public confidence in the impartial administration of justice.
Both Mohamed and Greene remain entitled to the presumption of innocence as the proceedings continue.
