Errors, missing records dominate cross-examination in Mohameds’ extradition case

Mar 18, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – The extradition proceedings involving Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed continued on Tuesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, with defence attorneys intensifying their challenge to the credibility and handling of key government records.

The matter resumed before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, remained under cross-examination by Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde.

Tuesday’s proceedings centered on documents produced by the Permanent Secretary’s office, particularly entries in the Ministry’s incoming correspondence books, which the defence argued were riddled with inconsistencies and lacked proper verification.

Addressing reporters after the hearing, Forde explained that the defence’s line of questioning sought to highlight serious deficiencies in the way the alleged extradition documents from the United States were recorded and handled.

According to Forde, the records for October 30 and November 26, 2025, showed irregularities, including multiple entries that did not follow any consistent pattern and, in some instances, appeared to have been made after the events they purported to record. He argued that these discrepancies undermine the reliability of the Permanent Secretary’s testimony.

“The documents indicated that the materials she said she received were not properly recorded,” Forde said, adding that there is still no clear evidence before the court to show that the necessary documents for the extradition process were properly received and processed by the Government of Guyana.

He stressed that proper documentation is critical, since decisions regarding the acceptance and processing of extradition requests would have required formal acknowledgment by both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Forde further pointed out that there is no written record identifying who delivered the documents, the exact time they were received, or what specific materials were submitted. He maintained that the absence of such details raises serious doubts about whether the documents were ever properly presented for consideration in the extradition proceedings.

During the cross-examination, Roopchand-Edwards conceded that an incorrect entry was made in one of the Ministry’s two incoming correspondence books. While her office had previously indicated that extradition documents were received on October 29, 2025, she told the court that no such documents were received on that date and that the entry was made in error.

She clarified that the extradition request from the United States was received on the night of October 30, 2025, and that the entry reflecting this was made on October 31 by a member of her staff.

The court also heard that Roopchand-Edwards did not contact the U.S. Embassy to verify whether the documents were sent, nor did she instruct any of her subordinates to do so. Under questioning, she confirmed that neither she nor her staff sought external confirmation of the documents’ authenticity.

Additionally, when pressed by Forde on whether the correspondence books reflected the receipt of additional documents referenced in her testimony, the Permanent Secretary stated that she could not agree with that suggestion.

The cross-examination also delved into the absence of key details in the correspondence books, including missing signatures, dates, and references to couriers or officials responsible for delivering the documents, issues the defence contends are fundamental to establishing a proper chain of custody.

Meanwhile, State Prosecutor Glenn Hanoman criticised the length of the cross-examination, noting that the first witness has been on the stand since January 6.

“We are inching closer towards the end of the cross-examination with the first witness called,” Hanoman said, adding that the process has been ongoing for nearly two and a half months. He described the situation as a “masterclass in delay” and expressed concern that, at the current pace, the proceedings could extend for several more months.

Hanoman also took issue with the defence’s position that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not receive the extradition documents from the United States, describing that stance as difficult to accept.

The Mohameds were granted bail in the sum of $150,000 each following their arrest on October 31, 2025, after U.S. authorities filed an extradition request.

The extradition case stems from criminal charges filed in a United States federal court in Miami, Florida. According to a 25-page indictment unsealed on October 2, 2025, U.S. prosecutors allege that the Mohameds orchestrated a large-scale scheme involving fraudulent gold exports, customs violations, bribery, and the evasion of millions of dollars in taxes and royalties owed to Guyana.

Further cross-examination of the Permanent Secretary is expected to continue on Wednesday as the high-profile case progresses.

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• Azruddin Mohamed, extradition, Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, missing records, Nazar Mohamed, Siand Dhurjon

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