guyanatimesgy.com, Oct 17, 2026…magistrate bars trio from witness’s residence, restricts areas ... United States sanctioned and indicted Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and two members of his staff were on Friday granted $750,000 bail each after appearing before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on three criminal charges. Azruddin Mohamed, 39, of Lot 19 Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD); his driver, Eugene Thorne, 35, of Lot 346 Timehri Hill Top, EBD and videographer Mario Mohamed, 21, of Alliance Road, Timehri, EBD, all pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trio were each granted $250,000 bail on each charge, bringing their total bail to $750,000 respectively. ... The charges comprise unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and attempting to obstruct the course of justice. The three men were represented by Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, alongside attorneys Siand Dhurjon and Damien DaSilva. The obstruction charge alleged that on October 12 at Barr Street, Kitty, the men willfully attempted to obstruct the administration of justice by discharging a firearm at or in the vicinity of the home of Special Branch Unit Head Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Narine. Narine is a witness in the extradition proceedings against Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, which were initiated at the request of the United States. The other charges alleged that on October 13 at Alexander Street, Kitty, the men had a .32 Taurus pistol and three rounds of .32 ammunition in their possession without valid firearm licences. During the bail hearing, the defence attorneys urged the court to release their clients, arguing that there were special reasons to justify bail. The defence questioned the recovery of the firearm, arguing that it was not discovered during the initial vehicle searches but was found only when a subsequent search was conducted at the Kitty Police Station. The attorneys also raised the issue of multiple occupancy, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the men’s presence in the vehicle should be considered when assessing the allegations against them. Interference of witness However, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Diana O’Brien opposed bail, arguing that the allegations raised concerns about possible interference with Narine. O’Brien relied on Section 7 of the Bail Act 2022, submitting that bail could be refused where there was a substantial likelihood that an accused would interfere with witnesses, tamper with evidence or otherwise obstruct the course of justice. She highlighted that Azruddin Mohamed was already on bail in the extradition proceedings when the alleged obstruction occurred. The prosecutor also referred to allegations that Narine had received threats and feared for his life. She argued that the circumstances warranted caution because of the potential implications for a witness involved in ongoing proceedings. O’Brien further contended that the prosecution could rely on circumstantial evidence to establish its case, telling the court, “There is nothing wrong with a circumstantial case being based on inferences.” Joint enterprise She also invoked the principle of joint enterprise, stating, “The act of one is the act of all.” In delivering her ruling, McGusty said the prosecution had been unable to provide CCTV footage that could establish whether the suspected gunshot heard near Narine’s home originated from the vehicle occupied by the accused. “What I’ve heard is that the explosion came from the vicinity of the vehicle,” the magistrate said. She also considered questions raised by the defence about the searches conducted during the investigation and the circumstances in which the firearm and ammunition were allegedly found. McGusty disagreed with the prosecution’s position that the court should not take account of the fact that the three men had been jointly charged when considering their bail application. The magistrate further noted that Azruddin Mohamed was already on bail in the extradition proceedings and based on reports before her, had been attending the police station in compliance with the conditions imposed in that matter. She said the prosecution had presented nothing to suggest that the three accused would fail to comply with conditions set by the court. “I know nothing about these gentlemen, but I have heard nothing from the prosecution that suggests that these gentlemen would not abide by those conditions if they are set by the court,” McGusty said. She subsequently ruled that bail could be granted. Conditions for bail The three men must attend every court hearing and reside at the addresses supplied to the court. Any change of address must be reported to the court, and their contact details must be kept updated. They were ordered to surrender their passports and other travel documents and must inform the court before applying for replacement travel documents. The conditions also require them to remain away from Narine’s residence and prohibit them from traversing Barr Street between Vlissengen Road and Alexander Street. They must not directly or indirectly contact, threaten, intimidate or attempt to influence any prosecution witness. They are also prohibited from obstructing or interfering with the work of the prosecution and from contacting Narine or his immediate family. The three men are expected to return to court on November 6. According to the police, Narine was at his Barr Street, Georgetown residence around 23:45h when he observed a black Toyota Allion travelling slowly along the roadway. The vehicle passed his home before returning a short time later. Police said Narine heard what appeared to be a gunshot as the car approached again. He reportedly took cover and discharged several rounds from his service firearm towards the vehicle, which subsequently left the area. The car was later intercepted at the junction of Vlissengen Road and Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, with Azruddin Mohamed, Thorne and Mario Mohamed identified as the occupants. A search during the early hours of October 13 uncovered a .32 Taurus pistol without a serial number and three live rounds of ammunition. Spent shells were also recovered and lodged, along with the firearm and ammunition, for ballistic examination. Police said CCTV footage from the area would be reviewed as part of the investigation. The charges are separate from the extradition proceedings against Mohamed and his father, who are wanted in the United States to answer criminal charges. That matter is scheduled to continue on October 21 and 22 before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The United States is seeking the extradition of the Mohameds over allegations including wire and mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and customs violations linked to an alleged US$50 million gold-export and tax-evasion scheme. The indictment also alleged that Azruddin Mohamed participated in a separate scheme involving the importation of a Lamborghini from Miami to Guyana, in which the vehicle’s declared value was allegedly understated to evade more than US$1 million in taxes. Both men have been granted $150,000 bail each pending the outcome of the extradition proceedings, subject to conditions including surrendering their passports and reporting to the Ruimveldt Police Station as directed by the court.