CCJ Grants A Stay in Extradition Matter of Guyana’s Political Opposition Leader

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – On Wednesday, 25 March 2026, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) convened a case management conference (CMC) in the matter of Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed v Minister of Home Affairs, Attorney General and Magistrate of Guyana.

The Second Applicant, Azruddin Mohamed, Leader of the Opposition of Guyana, and the First Applicant, Nazar Mohamed, are the subjects of an extradition request made by the United States Government on 30 October 2025. The request seeks their extradition to face an 11-count criminal indictment, including allegations of conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, and money laundering.

Following receipt of the request, the Minister of Home Affairs of Guyana issued an Authority to Proceed under the Fugitive Offenders Act. On 31 October 2025, Magistrate Judy Latchman issued arrest warrants, thereby commencing extradition proceedings in the Court of Committal, which remain ongoing.

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. The claim was dismissed by the High Court on 4 February 2026 and subsequently by the Court of Appeal on 17 March 2026, with both courts refusing to grant a stay of proceedings.

Against this background, the CCJ convened its first CMC in the matter. The conference was procedural in nature and addressed, in particular, the issue of urgency and the need for the expeditious progression of the proceedings. The Court considered that it was in the interest of justice that a stay of proceedings be granted in the matter until its decision on the application for  special leave and set an expedited schedule for the hearing of the matter.

The CCJ directed that the Respondents file affidavits in opposition on or before 2 April 2026. The parties are to file written submissions, in relation to the application for special leave on or before 10 April 2026, and any written submissions in reply, on or before 15 April 2026. The application for special leave is scheduled to be heard via video conference on 21 April 2026 at 9:00 a.m. (AST).

The CCJ panel comprised the the Honourable Mr Justice Winston Anderson, CCJ President, and Mme Justice Rajnauth-Lee and Mme Justice Ononaiwu. The Appellants were represented by Mr Fyard Hosein, SC; Mr Roysdale A Forde, SC; Mr Siand A Dhurjon; Mr Damien Da Silva, and Mr Aadam Hosein.  The First Respondent was represented by Mr Douglas L Mendes, SC and Mr Clay J Hackett. The Second Respondent was represented by Mr Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, Hon Attorney General; Mr Nigel O. Hawke, Solicitor General; Ms Shoshanna V Lall, Deputy Solicitor General; and Ms Dishon Persaud. The Third Respondent was represented by Mr Arudranauth Gossai.

The application for special leave will be livestreamed on the Court’s YouTube channel @TheCaribbeanCourt