Mohamed’s video editor asks police for hard evidence on alleged drone use near Ali’s private residence

Last Updated on Monday, 7 September 2026, 17:34 by Written By Denis Chabrol

A video editor, who is employed by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, on Monday signaled that he would be demanding concrete evidence from police to prove their case that he operated a drone near President Irfaan Ali’s private residence at Leonora, West Coast Demerara.

Before Vreed-en-Hoop magistrate Ravindranauth Singh granted bail to 25-year old Dwayne Ross of Princes Street, Georgetown, his defence lawyer Eusi Anderson told the court that he wanted police to fully disclose several key pieces of evidence for the trial when it commences.

Mr Ross pleaded not guilty to the three charges made under the Civil Aviation Act- two charges of unlawful operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle under separate sections of the law and failure to obtain authorisation to  operate an aircraft. The magistrate granted him GY$200,000 bail on each charge and ordered that he returns to the Leonora Magistrates’ Court on September 30. He was also required to lodge his passport with the court and report to police once monthly.

Describing the charges as “dubious” and bad in law because a drone is not defined in the law, Mr Anderson applied to the court for the preservation and disclosure of all Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage in the vicinity of where the offence allegedly occurred last week Thursday, and any private video footage, all body camera footage at the point of arrest worn and generated  by police, including vehicle camera footage, at the time of the search.

In response, the prosecutor said it is “totally misleading” that Mr Ross was seated in a vehicle on the parapet. She said the vehicle was eventually intercepted at Goed Fortuin after a high-speed chase. She said the accused admitted ownership of the drone during a forensic video interview. She said presidential guard police observed Mr Ross on the access road with a remote control in his hands operating a drone that was seen about 30 feet hovering over Dr Ali’s private residence.

The lawyer said the Opposition Leader offered to have the drone examined at the police station to show the flight path of the drone as proof that it was not flown on the date and time claimed by police.

Mr Anderson said the drone was placed among Mr Ross’ items and written up as part of his at the Leonora Police Station. He said they searched his home in Georgetown on suspicion of guns and ammunition without a warrant. Instead, he said a “broken drone” was found at the accused man’s residence.

Despite a number of requests by the magistrate, the prosecutor was unaware of the penalties for the offences. The magistrate also urged Mr Anderson not to go in-depth in his defence arguments.

Mr Anderson said when the police approached the vehicle in near a mosque at Leonora and stated that they received information that a drone was being operated in the area, Mr Ross was seated in the back seat “and that is the extent of any evidence that he was operating the drone.

The lawyer said his client never meant to cause President Ali any harm and never surveilled him or the precincts of his home. “These charges are bad at law and they are wholly denied,” he said.