Extradition proceedings against Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, businessman Nazar Mohamed, are expected to continue in September.
The matter is scheduled to return before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on September 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
The new hearing dates follow Tuesday’s ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which lifted the interim stay that had halted the extradition proceedings since March.
The case stems from a request made by the United States Government in October 2025 for the two men to be surrendered to face an 11-count criminal indictment. The charges listed in the request include conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
After receiving the request, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond issued an Authority to Proceed under the Fugitive Offenders Act on October 30, 2025. Warrants for the arrest of Azruddin and Nazar were issued the following day by the then Principal Magistrate, paving the way for the extradition process to begin.
However, the Mohameds challenged the Minister’s decision in the High Court, arguing that the Authority to Proceed was unlawful. They claimed that the decision was affected by actual and apparent bias and also raised concerns about the involvement of the Attorney General in the process.
Their case was rejected by both the High Court and the Court of Appeal. They then moved to the CCJ, seeking special leave to appeal.
While the CCJ considered the matter, it granted an interim stay on March 25, temporarily stopping the committal hearing before the Magistrates’ Court.
In its ruling on Tuesday, the CCJ granted the Mohameds special leave to appeal but dismissed the substantive appeal. That decision effectively removed the legal barrier that had paused the extradition case.
The region’s highest court found that while the rule against bias does apply to the Minister’s decision to issue an Authority to Proceed, the applicants did not prove that the decision was unlawfully influenced by bias.
The CCJ also held that the Minister had carried out the statutory function required under the Fugitive Offenders Act. The Court found no basis to conclude that relevant matters were ignored or that improper considerations were taken into account when the Authority to Proceed was issued.
As part of its ruling, the CCJ made no order as to costs before that Court. However, the question of costs linked to the High Court and Court of Appeal proceedings was reserved for later determination.
With the stay now lifted, the extradition proceedings will resume at the committal stage before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
