CCJ to hand down ruling in Mohameds' challenge to extradition proceedings on Wednesday

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has given notice that it intends to hand down the its ruling in the appeal filed by US-sanctioned Guyanese businessmen Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed on Wednesday afternoon. The two are facing an extradition hearing before the Magistrates' Court in Guyana. The CCJ was asked to decide whether the local extradition proceedings against the Mohameds should be permanently blocked over allegations of political bias and claims regarding the validity of the Authority to Proceed (ATP) which was issued locally. At the heart of the argument by the Mohameds is that Authority to Proceed (ATP) under the Fugitive Offenders Act, which was issued by Home Affairs Minister, Oneidge Walrond, is tainted with bias. Counsel for the Mohameds have argued before the CCJ that within two hours of receiving the request for extradition, the Authority to Proceed was signed by the Home Affairs Minister. They believe the "haste" to sign the ATP was a strange occurrence which gave the impression that the Minister was waiting on the document to sign off for the Mohameds to be extradited. They argued further that the function of the Minister is adjudicative, although Section 12 (2) of the Act gives the Minister certain powers. However, the state has argued that there should be no issue with when the ATP was issued, noting that there would have been a real issue if the Minister did not carry out her functions. In December 2025, the Applicants initiated judicial review proceedings against the Minister of Home Affairs, the Attorney General and the Magistrate, challenging the validity of the Authority to Proceed and seeking a stay of the extradition process. Their claim was dismissed by the High Court on 4 February 2026 and by the Court of Appeal on 17 March 2026, with both Courts refusing a stay. The Mohameds are facing extradition to the United States over claims of wire and mail fraud, and allegations of money laundering and tax evasion. The younger Mohamed, Azruddin Mohamed, is the current Opposition Leader in Guyana.