‘I hope Mohameds are satisfied with the justice they got’ – Nandlall on CCJ ruling  

The Guyana Government has welcomed the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), a significant step that clears the way for the United States extradition proceedings involving businessmen, Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, to resume in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

“Of course, we welcome the decision of the CCJ,” Attorney General Anil Nandlall expressed during his programme “Issues in the News” on Tuesday.

“All seven judges who comprise of that court sat in that case and all seven of them rejected the submissions of the appellants and upheld the submissions of the Attorney General and the submissions made on behalf of Minister Oneidge Walrond,” he posited.

The extradition proceedings had been temporarily halted for about five months pending the outcome of the appeal before the CCJ. Following the regional court’s decision on July 29, Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman has scheduled the case for hearings on September 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Recalling that Mohamed once remarked that he had to cross the Caribbean Sea to get justice, Nandlall posited that “well, he got justice. I hope he’s satisfied with the justice that he got.”

“Recall they were attacking the legal system of Guyana. They were attacking the courts in Guyana. They were saying that the extradition proceedings were politically inspired and instituted, that they were being politically influenced…They made all those remarks, all those allegations in the public domain… So, I hope that the appellants are satisfied that they have received the justice that they were seeking,” Nandlall expressed.

Back in March, the Mohameds approached the CCJ, seeking special leave to appeal the decisions of the High Court and Appeal Court of Guyana – both of which had previously dismissed legal proceedings to halt their extradition to the US, where they are indicted on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.

The appeal sought to challenge aspects of the extradition process initiated against the father and son. The CCJ had decided to hear the application for special leave and the substantive appeal at the same time during the April 21 session.

During that hearing, the Mohameds had told the CCJ that they are not opposed to the extradition itself, but are asking the court to overturn the “Authority to Proceed” (ATP) issued under Guyana’s Fugitive Offenders Act by Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond, arguing that the Minister’s decision was legally flawed and politically biased.

The defence had noted that the speed at which the ATP was issued, shortly after the request was received, created an appearance of predetermined approval and raised questions about fairness at the earliest stage of the process.

But Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, representing Guyana’s Government, defended the issuance of the ATP, contending that the Minister’s role at this stage is administrative and not adjudicative. He rejected the suggestion that the timing of the decision indicated bias, stating instead that any delay could have equally been criticised as a failure to act.

In its ruling, the CCJ unanimously dismissed the appeal being sought by the Mohameds.