Govt has nothing to do with US “review” of High Court judge’s visa- Nandlall

Last Updated on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, 7:35 by Written By Denis Chabrol

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall on Tuesday said the Guyana government played no role in the United States’ (US) reported decision to “review” High Court judge, Gino Persaud’s visa.

Speaking on his weekly social media engagement titled “Issues in the news”, Mr Nandlall said President Irfaan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo or himself had nothing to do with the US’ sovereign decision to review Mr Persaud’s visa.

“The government of Guyana, including the President, the Vice President and the Attorney General have absolutely no influence whatsoever over American, US foreign policy or any aspect of US governance and in particular certainly no influence whatsoever in relation to whom the US would permit to travel to the United States of America so it’s absolute nonsense, not even worthy of a response,” he said.

Mr Persaud has not publicly commented on his visa trouble that he encountered when he last weekend attempted to leave Guyana via the US for Jamaica to attend the Annual Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association (CMJA) Conference.

Mr Nandlall acknowledged that government was critical of Justice Persaud’s decision that prohibited the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) from reviewing its tax assessment of imports after the duties and taxes had already been prepared. That case specifically had to do with  Azruddin Mohamed’s Lamborghini for which the US had provided evidence that Mr Mohamed had allegedly paid more than he had stated for that vehicle, resulting in less duties and taxes having been paid.

The Lamborghini purchase was cited in the US Grand Jury’s 11-count indictment against Mr Mohamed Jr and his father Nazar Mohamed. In terms of the Lamborghini purchase and exportation to Guyana, the U.S. grand jury says Azruddin Mohamed directed an unnamed individual to acquire a Lamborghini from California that cost approximately US$680,000 for his benefit, caused the shipment of the Lamborghini via private and commercial interstate carrier from Miami to Guyana, directed Individual 1 to create an invoice to make it falsely appear that the Lamborghini cost US$75,300 when, in truth and in fact, the Lamborghini cost approximately US$680,000, and caused the false Lamborghini invoice to be presented to the GRA and thereby avoided over one million dollars in taxes he owed to the GRA.

The GRA has since appealed that decision.

The Mohameds are battling to quash a US request for them to be extradited to face trial for alleged wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering in a Florida federal court.

The elder Mohamed on Monday said “I want there to be absolutely no ambiguity about our relationship with Justice Gino Persaud. My son and I have never met him, neither as a lawyer nor as a Judge. He has never conducted business with us, or had any personal, professional or social relationship with us. Our only connection is that matters involving our family came before him as a judge of the High Court.”

Against that recent backdrop and historical public criticisms by top government officials and the hiring of American lobbyists to link them to now ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Mr Mohamed said he was doubtful of a fair hearing in Guyana’s courts.

He believed that the judiciary could feel intimidated if they were to give a fair decision.

“We now learn that his United States visa is reportedly under review. I will not publicly assert what caused that review without evidence. But given everything that has happened, it would be foolish to ignore the circumstances surrounding it. What message does this send to the next judge or magistrate deciding a matter involving my son or me?

Judicial independence means that a judge must be able to decide a case based on the law and the evidence, without worrying about who will be angered by the decision or what consequences may follow. No judge should have to wonder whether ruling against the Government could affect his career, his ability to travel, his reputation or his personal life,” said the elder Mohamed, who was a former supporter and financier of the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic.

The Mohameds, who were sanctioned in June 2024 by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for alleged tax evasion related to gold exports from Guyana, are wanted to face trial in a Florida federal court for an 11-count grand jury indictment for alleged wire fraud, money laundering and mail fraud linked to their then registered gold trading business.