Police Force seemingly contradicts intelligence chief’s testimony

Last Updated on Friday, 11 September 2026, 22:44 by Written By Denis Chabrol

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Saturday appeared to contradict official court testimony about where the Head of Special Branch, Senior Superintendent Prem Narine said he burnt notes about interactions between two wanted Guyanese businessman and United States (US) federal agent when they were arrested on October 31, 2025.

City businessmen Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed were arrested in keeping with an extradition request to face trial in the US for alleged wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering.

Testifying under oath on Thursday before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman, Mr Narine stated that the notes were burnt “near a furnace”. “There is an area in Special Branch compound next to a furnace, which is condemned but we use the area immediately close to that furnace where I placed the shredded document I mentioned, along with others, and I light them. I can’t recall if it was a lighter or match and I light them a fire,” Mr Narine said.

However, in what was described as a clarification, the police force on Friday said “those notes had been disposed of in the official incinerator at Special Branch…”.  That appears to be a stark difference from Mr Narine’s testimony from the witness stand.

In the Guyana Police Force’s clarification of reports in sections of the media concerning the destruction of documents referenced during testimony in the ongoing committal proceedings involving the Mohameds, that law enforcement agency said, “in response to questions from the Defence concerning personal working notes used in preparing his statement, Senior Superintendent Narine testified that those notes had been disposed of in the official incinerator at Special Branch in keeping with established procedures for the disposal of sensitive working documents that were no longer required.”

After the statement was issued, the police force did not respond to several questions and observations by the media about the accuracy of its account.

The police force also said Senior Superintendent Narine further testified that the working notes contained no information of evidential value to the committal proceedings and that the relevant information had already been incorporated into his statement.

The Guyana Police Force said it rejects any suggestion that documents of evidential value relating to the proceedings were destroyed. “The relevant official records were preserved and tendered before the Court,” the police force said. On Thursday, also, no reference was made about the whether or not the notes that he had destroyed had any evidential value.

In court on Thursday also, the head of the Special Branch confirmed that he permitted U.S. Marshall Sandy Rao to have a private discussion with the Mohameds and that was held in full view of him (Narine) “but out of hearing”. However, he said that was not included in the Brickdam Police Station station diary.

Mr Narine said he was unaware of what was discussed between that U.S. federal agent and the Mohameds who are wanted by the U.S. to face trial in a Florida federal court for alleged wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering.