Magistrate rejects Mohameds’ constitutional challenge; extradition proceedings

Headline: Magistrate rejects Mohameds’ constitutional challenge; extradition proceedings set for January
Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman on Wednesday dismissed a constitutional challenge brought by businessmen Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin, clearing the way for extradition committal proceedings to begin early next year.
The Mohameds, who are wanted by authorities in the United States, had argued through their attorneys that recent amendments to Guyana’s Fugitive Offenders Act violated constitutional protections relating to due process, access to justice, and personal liberty. Their legal team urged the court to refer the matter to the High Court for constitutional review before any extradition inquiry could proceed.
In her ruling delivered just after 11:00 hrs, Magistrate Latchman held that no sufficient legal basis existed to halt the proceedings or to elevate the matter to the High Court at this stage. She found that the arguments advanced by the defence did not meet the threshold required to suspend or interrupt the statutory extradition process.
The decision followed weeks of submissions from both prosecution and defence. At Wednesday’s hearing—initially convened at 09:00 hrs—Latchman permitted the defence to respond to earlier prosecutorial arguments before delivering her ruling. The defence had previously insisted that the constitutional concerns were substantial and should be adjudicated by a superior court, while prosecutors countered that the objections were premature and aimed at delaying the inquiry.
The ruling means that the case will now advance to its next phase, in which the magistrate will determine whether a prima facie case exists to commit the Mohameds for extradition. Those proceedings are scheduled to begin on January 6, 2026, and continue on January 7, 2026.
The Mohameds’ case has drawn national and international attention given their prominence in the private sector and the broader implications for Guyana’s extradition framework, which was updated in recent years to strengthen cooperation with international partners. The outcome of the upcoming committal proceedings will determine whether the businessmen are surrendered to US authorities to face charges abroad.