Gun, ammo possession charges for opposition leader, employees

Last Updated on Friday, 16 October 2026, 21:58 by Writer

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has recommended that Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and two of his employees be charged with possession of a firearm, stemming from a shooting incident outside the home of Guyana’s police intelligence chief who is key witness in a United States (US) extradition request.

The charges are unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

One source said the joint charges have already been read to Mohamed, his driver Eugene Thorne and videographer Mario Mohamed and they would appear in court on Friday.

If found guilty on the firearm possession charge, they could be fined from GY$3,000 to GY$15,000 and imprisoned for one to three years.

Identical penalties apply for the ammunition possession charge.

The penalty for obstructing the course of justice is one year’s imprisonment.

None of the charges refers to the discharging of a loaded firearm, though police had said that one .32 spent shell was found opposite the Barr Street, Kitty home of Head of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch, Senior Superintendent Prem Narine.

Police later said they found a handgun with three live rounds of ammunition in the car that Mohamed and his two employees were travelling late last Monday night.

The Opposition Leader and his lawyer Siand Dhurjon have disputed the gun find and accused police of planting the weapon under the accelerator pedal.

Mr Mohamed accused the police of attempting to kill him.

Police said in a statement on Tuesday four 9mm spent shells were also recovered.

The police spy chief alleged that the car in which Mr Mohamed was travelling passed by his residence twice and on the second occasion he heard a loud explosion of what seemed to be a gunshot, took cover and returned fire with his force-issued handgun.

Mr Narine is a main witness in the ongoing magistrate court hearing of the US extradition request for the Opposition Leader and his father Nazar Mohamed.

They are wanted to face trial in Florida for alleged money laundering and other financial crimes linked to their gold trading business.

The Special Branch head has already told the court that the younger Mohamed, who is leader of the main opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), is a threat to national security and has been implicated in several homicides but not charged.