The extradition case involving opposition figure Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, reached the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Today the regional court is convening a case management hearing to consider their bid to challenge ongoing proceedings in Guyana.
The two men have filed an urgent application seeking special leave to appeal a recent ruling by Guyana’s Court of Appeal, which cleared the way for extradition proceedings to continue in the Magistrates’ Court. They are also asking the CCJ to grant a stay of those proceedings, arguing that the matter could be concluded before their appeal is heard, potentially rendering it ineffective.
Their legal challenge centres on claims that the extradition process—specifically the issuance of the Authority to Proceed by the Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond—was tainted by political bias. However, both the High Court and the Court of Appeal previously rejected those arguments, finding no evidence to support allegations of bias.
Ahead of the hearing, Attorney General Anil Nandlall indicated that the State will strongly oppose the application, maintaining that there is “absolutely no need” to halt the ongoing committal proceedings in the lower court. He noted that the matter has already been adjourned, providing sufficient time for the CCJ to address the appeal without disrupting the process.
The CCJ’s case management conference is expected to determine how the appeal will proceed and whether interim relief, including a stay of the extradition hearings, will be granted. The outcome could significantly influence the trajectory of the high-profile case, which stems from a United States extradition request linked to allegations of financial crimes.
