By NEWS AMERICAS STAFF WRITER

News Americas, GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Weds. Nov. 4, 2026: Guyana Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed will spend at least another week behind bars after the High Court today delivered no ruling on his bail application and adjourned the matter until Thursday, November 12. A judgment is expected the following day.

Even then, freedom is not guaranteed. If bail is refused, Mohamed remains on remand until November 24.

Why There Was No Ruling

Justice Priscilla Chandra-Haniff identified deficiencies in the application filed on Mohamed’s behalf by his mother, Bonita Mohamed, which seeks a judicial review of the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court decision refusing him bail. The application names the Director of Public Prosecutions, Magistrate Abigail Gibbs and the Attorney General as respondents.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall challenged the supporting affidavit, which he said runs to 136 paragraphs over more than 50 pages, arguing that it contained inadmissible hearsay and material that was “scandalous” and “vexatious.”

“This is one of the worst drafted affidavits I have ever seen,” Nandlall told the court. He asked that roughly 33 paragraphs be struck out, and argued that the State had been given only about 24 hours’ notice to respond to serious allegations against the police, prison service and the magistrate. “Justice must not be rushed, justice rushed is justice crushed, so the State will not be rushed,” he said.

Defence attorneys Roysdale Forde and Siand Dhurjon accused the State of trying to delay the matter. Dhurjon argued that strict rules of evidence do not apply in the same way in bail proceedings, while Forde urged the court to weigh Mohamed’s liberty when setting timelines. The judge allowed Mohamed to file an affidavit in his own name. The State has until Friday, November 6, to file objections, and the defence must respond by November 8.

The Fight Over His Cell

Mohamed’s conditions in custody took center stage. Forde told the court that Mohamed is being held in what amounts to solitary confinement for 23 hours and 50 minutes a day without proper ventilation, conditions he called “oppressive and unlawful.” Dhurjon said a bright light being shone on Mohamed amounted to “psychological abuse” and asked that he be moved.

Nandlall rejected the claims, telling the court Mohamed is being held in a high-profile prison cell, and released a photograph of the cell at Lusignan Prison to back his position. The Guyana Prison Service has also disputed the allegations. According to official logs released by authorities, Mohamed spent more than nine hours outside his cell, raised no complaints over the weekend, and received family visits, medical attention, counselling, attorney visits and phone calls.

Justice Chandra-Haniff said she expects that the alleged conditions “do not exist” and, “even if they do, they will not be continued.” But she was cautious about ordering Mohamed moved into the general prison population, out of concern for his safety.

When Dhurjon said “the people in the prison would love Mr Mohamed,” Nandlall shot back: “You know how irrational, immature, and reckless such a statement is.”

Why He Is In Jail

Mohamed and 20-year-old Police Constable Ryan Greene were remanded on October 30 after being charged under Section 9(2)(b) of the Cybercrime Act. The charge relates to allegations that they obtained Safe City CCTV footage of an October 12 shooting in exchange for $800,000. If convicted on indictment, they face a fine of up to GYD$8 million and five years in prison.

The footage relates to the October 12 shooting at a car carrying Mohamed, his driver and a staff member, allegedly by Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, head of the police Special Branch. The video was shown at a news conference last month, triggering a police probe.

Narine is a key witness in the United States’ request to extradite Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed. Mohamed is on bail in the extradition case, as well as in a separate case in which he is accused of firearm and ammunition possession and of attempting to obstruct the course of justice by allegedly discharging a loaded firearm near Narine’s residence. The bail matter resumes November 12.

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