Latest update March 21st, 2026 12:03 AM
Wheelbarrows of Cash …Mohamed delivers coins, notes to settle Court debt
Kaieteur News – In a startling display on Thursday afternoon, Opposition Leader and U.S.-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed arrived at the Chambers of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall with two wheelbarrows loaded with cash—an undisclosed mix of coins and $20 and $100 bills to settle court-ordered costs.
The wheelbarrows of cash and coin delivered to the AG’s office on Thursday
The dramatic scene unfolded less than 48 hours after a heated exchange between the Attorney General and Mohamed’s legal team over $1 million in court costs stemming from cases lost by Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, in February.
The Mohameds were sanctioned after facing a federal indictment in Miami, United States, following the unsealing of a 25-page indictment on October 2, 2025. The indictment alleges a wide-ranging fraud and money-laundering scheme involving gold exports, customs fraud, bribery, and the evasion of millions of dollars in taxes and royalties owed to Guyana.
In addition to initial $1million owed in court costs, the Court of Appeal on Tuesday handed down a decision effectively ruling out any political bias in the State’s facilitation of an extradition request by the United States for Azruddin and Nazar. The court then awarded costs amounting to $1.5 million each to the various ministries involved in the case bringing the total court cost to $4 million.
On Wednesday, counsel for the Mohameds, Siand Dhurjon in an email to the AG explained the difficulty with paying the court costs since the bank accounts for the duo have been closed due to sanctions.
In the email, Dhurjon explained while the Mohameds are delighted that the government is eager to do business with them and to accept their generous endowments once again, it should be noted that “such funds may or may not have their source in activities related to the sale of gold in Dubai and or money saved through the manner of importation of various luxury and sports cars.”
AG Nandlall accepted the wheelbarrow cash
He continued: “Whilst my clients are not opposed to giving you $1,000,000, it was communicated to them prior that such payment could only be effected by manager’s cheque. As you are aware, this poses a difficulty for my clients at this time.”
The lawyer asked Nandlall to confirm that he or his office would be willing to accept the OFAC-sanctioned money in cash and then arrangements can be made to effect payment. Within minutes, AG Nandlall replied to the email describing its content as “irrelevant.” The AG cautioned that if the sum is paid by 4:00 pm on March 20, 2026, steps will be taken to enforce the court order immediately.
After delivering the cash and coins, the Opposition Leader spoke to reporters outside the AG’s Carmichael Street, Georgetown Chambers. He explained that he had to break his “children’s’ piggy bank, “to pay the demand. He explained he just wanted to comply with the court order.
“As you are aware, I don’t have bank accounts but this is some of the cash I had at hand at present. So that’s why I brought this here today because tomorrow is my holiday. And he [Nandlall] gave us a deadline of 4pm tomorrow but it’s Eid…I will be busy celebrating with my family and friends and so on,” the businessman said.
He claimed that he was nevertheless surprised that the AG accepted the money although his party had campaigned heavily against having any transaction with the Mohameds. “They told everyone on the campaign trail ‘you can’t do business and you can’t accept cash from the Mohamed or else you would be sanctioned and your visa revoked.’”
The businessman said AG accepted the$20 and $100 bills, there was some apprehension with wheelbarrow of coins to settle the debt. “He said that there is a legal limit to how much debt or transaction can be done with the coins…So we will have to get up the cash and bring it back. We want to honour the court order and the rules of the country,” the businessman disclosed. He noted that his pursuit of legal recourse is far from over as his legal team is examining taking the case to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
Meanwhile, speaking via a live Facebook broadcast Nandlall expounded on what he described as crass, mockery and gross disrespect for the administration of justice and the rule of law by Mohamed.
The AG said that the court cost was due since 27 of February for case the Mohamed’s lost earlier that month. He said that given the delay in payment he was in the process of preparing enforcement procedure against the sanctioned duo. He noted while he can accept that the sums were paid to some extent, he could say it was paid in full since there is a legal limit to which coins can be used to settle lawful debts in Guyana.
He explained “Legal tender coins shall be accepted throughout Guyana in the settlement of any public and private debt or monetary obligation up to limit of $100 for coins to the denomination of $1, $250 for the denomination for coins in the denomination of $5 and $500 for coins in the denomination of $10. Unfortunately for Mr. Mohamed, he will have to return the barrow of coins, he will have to take it away and I hope as he barrowed coming in, and that went live, that when he is barrowing coming out with the coins, that will go live as well.”
The AG noted that staff at his chambers are assigned to counted $20 and $100 bills to verify the amount covers the debt owed, they only accepted a limited amount of coins. “As I said earlier, Azruddin Mohamed’s clown show backfired. You will see him and his servant and/or agent will leave the Ministry of Legal Affairs with his barrow of coins,” Nandlall stated.
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