Statements questioning the ownership of Aiden by Best Western Hotel and the presence of police officers at the property have prompted its owner, Arimu Investments Inc., to bring separate defamation proceedings against Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his sister Hana Mohamed.
The company filed the two High Court claims on Monday, seeking combined damages exceeding $250 million, alongside additional compensation and orders for apologies, retractions and the removal of the disputed publications.
Attorneys Sase Gunraj and Jayaram Sanasie filed the proceedings on Arimu’s behalf.
The company maintains that the statements created a false impression that the Alphonso family were merely nominal owners of the hotel and that the business enjoyed improper access to police protection.
Its lawsuit against Azruddin Mohamed seeks more than $100 million for defamation and more than $50 million in aggravated damages. The separate claim against Hana Mohamed seeks more than $50 million for defamation and more than $50 million in aggravated damages.
Both actions also request exemplary damages, costs and interest. These are sums being sought by the company, rather than compensation awarded by the court.
The proceedings against the Opposition Leader arise from remarks allegedly made at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on October 16 and a video published on his Facebook page two days later.
According to Arimu’s filing, recordings of the October 16 remarks were circulated through the Prime News Guyana and Travis Chase Facebook pages and the Westside Daily & Global Update TikTok account.
The claim attributes to Mohamed statements suggesting that the Alphonsos owned the hotel only on paper and that the “first family” might hold the beneficial ownership interest.
It also cites allegations that a police vehicle and approximately four officers had been stationed outside the hotel continuously for more than a year, with the vehicle’s engine running.
Arimu argues that those remarks implied its business received preferential treatment and benefited from public resources while other people were unable to obtain police assistance.
The company denies those implications. In the claim against Mohamed, it identifies Clinton Alphonso, Lorenzo Alphonso and Geraldo Alphonso as its shareholders and maintains that its ownership is publicly documented.
It says police officers and vehicles are occasionally present at the hotel as part of security arrangements for international dignitaries, foreign officials and other visiting guests requiring protection.
The company contends that Mohamed falsely presented those arrangements as evidence of improper benefits granted to a private business.
Hana Mohamed’s case centres on an October 16 post on the Facebook page “Hana Khamelia”, which the filing says she operates.
According to the claim, the post questioned the hotel’s beneficial ownership and described the alleged deployment of police resources as a “Blatant abuse of state resources”. It also asserted that officers had been withdrawn following the Opposition Leader’s public comments.
Arimu says the post, accompanied by photographs connected to the hotel’s opening, cast doubt on the legitimacy of its ownership and suggested undisclosed wrongdoing.
The company alleges that the publications have harmed its reputation and goodwill, with potential consequences for customer confidence, commercial relationships and future business.
It is asking the court to order both defendants to remove the disputed material from platforms under their control and publish court-approved apologies and retractions. Permanent injunctions against further defamatory publications are also being sought.
