Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and staffers Eugene Thorne and Mario Mohamed were each granted $750,000 bail on Friday on firearm and obstruction charges.

Their attorneys presented several special reasons for release when the men appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court. Each pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition without licences, and attempting to obstruct the course of justice. Bail was set at $250,000 per charge for each accused.

Attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon said the men were travelling along Barr Street, Kitty, on October 12 when they passed the residence of Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Narine. According to the defence, Azruddin Mohamed was trying to record the police presence outside the residence as part of his political activities, to highlight the state resources deployed at the property.

Dhurjon told the court citizens sometimes report incidents to police stations but are told no vehicles are available to respond.
He alleged the men heard gunshots and that their vehicle came under fire before police intercepted them at the junction of Vlissengen Road and Sandy Babb Street. He disputed how the firearm was found, saying initial searches of the vehicle uncovered no weapon, while a later search led to the discovery of a pistol beneath the accelerator pedal.

The attorney questioned why the searches were not video-recorded and said no fingerprints were taken from the firearm. He applied for police to return Mohamed's personal belongings, raising concerns about the retention of his mobile phone. He also requested CCTV footage recorded between 11:30pm on October 12 and 12:30am on October 13 from the vicinity of Sandy Babb Street, Barr Street and Vlissengen Road, arguing it could help establish what occurred.

Dhurjon told the court Mohamed owns two parcels of land valued at more than $100 million. He argued that this, along with Mohamed's existing court obligations, showed he was not a flight risk.

Attorney Damien Da Silva, who represented Thorne, argued that the circumstances of the firearm's discovery also provided grounds for bail. He said the vehicle was occupied by three men and that a firearm in a shared vehicle did not automatically establish that every occupant knew about or possessed it.

Da Silva said the prosecution should identify evidence linking each accused to the weapon, including where it was found, whether it was visible and who controlled the vehicle.

The prosecution opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the charges. It also raised concerns that Mohamed's release could give him an opportunity to interfere with Narine, who is a witness in the ongoing extradition proceedings against Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed.

The prosecution said there was sufficient evidence to support the charges against all three men, but acknowledged the evidence had not yet established who discharged the firearm. It rejected suggestions that police were concealing evidence, describing the allegations as false.

McGusty acknowledged the defence's submissions on the searches, the location where the firearm was allegedly found and the fact that police drove the vehicle to the station, among other matters.

Bail conditions require the men to report to Kitty Police Station, lodge their passports and provide updated contact information. They must also stay away from Barr Street between Vlissengen Road and Alexander Street.

The matter was adjourned until November 6, 2026.