CCJ halts extradition case in Guyana
The extradition case involving prominent Guyanese businessmen Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, has been abruptly halted following intervention by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
On Wednesday March 25th, 2026, the CCJ, the region’s highest court, ordered an immediate pause on the committal proceedings, effectively stopping the case from advancing through the lower courts until further notice.
The ruling comes after both the High Court and the Guyana Court of Appeal had previously refused to grant similar relief.
The CCJ’s order suspends all ongoing proceedings linked to the extradition request, pending the outcome of a special leave application and any subsequent appeal. The court has indicated that it intends to move swiftly, with a decision expected around April 21 or shortly thereafter.
At the centre of the legal battle is a challenge by the Mohameds, who argue that their case may have been influenced by political bias. Their appeal questions the role of Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, particularly whether his decision to issue the Authority to Proceed—allowing the extradition process to begin—was purely administrative, as previously ruled by the Court of Appeal.
The CCJ granted permission for that ruling to be appealed and has opted to treat the application as the substantive appeal itself. Legal analysts say this signals the court’s recognition of the seriousness and potential implications of the issues raised.
The latest development also disrupts previously scheduled court dates, which were set for early April. Those hearings had already been uncertain due to reports that Azruddin Mohamed was diagnosed with dengue fever. With the stay now in effect, those proceedings have been effectively cancelled.
The case, which has already moved through several levels of Guyana’s judicial system, continues to draw regional attention, with its outcome expected to have significant implications for extradition law and judicial fairness.
FRANCIS JOSEPH
