Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has defended the Government’s decision to cover the legal fees of foreign attorneys representing the State in the ongoing extradition proceedings against prominent gold dealers Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed.
Speaking on the matter, Nandlall explained that extradition proceedings operate within the framework of international law — specifically under the principles of comity and reciprocity, which govern cooperation between states in such cases.
“In extradition proceedings, the request comes from a foreign state — in this case, the United States government. The lawyers prosecuting this request are representing the interests of the US government,” he clarified. “Under international extradition law and practice, the country to whom the request is made discharges the obligation of providing legal representation, with the approval of the US authorities,” he added.
The Attorney General emphasised that Guyana’s decision to bear the cost of legal representation is consistent with international norms. He further explained that foreign lawyers were specifically engaged to ensure transparency and avoid any suggestion of political interference.
“To insulate the process from allegations of political interference, lawyers from outside Guyana were brought in with the approval of the US government. And yes, the Government of Guyana has to pay for that,” he stated, adding that the approach mirrors established practice in other Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Nandlall referenced similar cases in Trinidad and Tobago where British King’s Counsel are routinely retained to prosecute extradition and other complex criminal matters, with expenses borne by the State.
Citing the extradition of Marcus Bisram from the United States to Guyana as an example of reciprocity, the Attorney General noted that the US government had covered legal costs during that process. “That’s what reciprocity means — you do for me, and I do for you,” he said.
He dismissed claims that the inclusion of Guyanese attorney Glenn Hanoman on the legal team was politically motivated, describing such allegations as “misguided and disingenuous.” He also accused the Mohameds of attempting to “undermine due process through a disinformation campaign.”
Documents from the Ministry of Home Affairs confirm that the government approved a payment of US$62,558.78 to Jamaican King’s Counsel Terrence Williams for his role in representing the State during October 2025 in The Guyana Police Force vs. Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed.
The documents indicate that Williams, along with Jamaican attorneys Herbert McKenzie and Celine Deidrick, were retained on the advice of the Attorney General’s Chambers due to their extensive experience handling extradition cases in the Caribbean. The payment, authorised by Permanent Secretary Andre Ally, was processed through the Bank of Guyana.
According to the US Department of State’s Foreign Affairs Manual (7 FAM 1618), the requested country — in this case, Guyana — typically bears the costs associated with extradition proceedings, excluding translation and transfer expenses.
Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed were arrested in Georgetown on October 31, 2025, following an extradition request from the United States. During their first appearance before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, both men were granted bail of $150,000 each and ordered to surrender their passports and report weekly to the Ruimveldt Police Station.
When the matter was called again on Monday, the prosecution presented key documents including a diplomatic note, authenticated declarations from the US Secretary of State, and executed warrants of arrest. The case is scheduled to continue on November 24, when the court will consider whether sufficient grounds exist for extradition.
The Mohameds face an 11-count indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, including charges of conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, money laundering, and customs-related offences linked to an alleged US$50 million gold export and tax evasion scheme.
US filings identify Nazar as holding 90 per cent ownership of Mohamed’s Enterprise, with his son Azruddin owning the remaining 10 per cent. The most serious offences carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The indictment follows sanctions imposed in June 2024 by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which accused the pair of gold smuggling, corruption, and defrauding the Guyanese government of tens of millions in unpaid taxes. Former senior government official Mae Thomas was also sanctioned for allegedly accepting bribes to secure contracts for the Mohameds.
The investigation, which dates back nearly a decade, involved close cooperation between US and Guyanese law enforcement agencies, including the DEA, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Azruddin Mohamed is also a sitting Member of Parliament and leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party.
The extradition proceedings continue to attract national attention, raising broader questions about international legal cooperation, state obligations under treaty law, and Guyana’s evolving relationship with its US counterparts in cross-border criminal matters.
