In a significant legal development, prominent Guyanese attorney Sanjeev Datadin emphasized that Guyana’s Constitution explicitly prohibits granting bail to individuals arrested for extradition purposes. Speaking on Saturday, Datadin highlighted Article 139(i) of the Constitution, which permits the deprivation of liberty in extradition proceedings, underscoring its alignment with judicial consistency. Datadin, who is set to assume his parliamentary seat for the governing People’s Progressive Party, criticized Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman’s decision to grant GY$150,000 bail to Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, as “most unusual.” The Mohameds were arrested based on a U.S. extradition warrant. Datadin argued that bail’s fundamental purpose—ensuring a defendant’s return to court—does not apply in extradition cases, as no criminal charges are being heard in Guyana. He also dismissed the defense’s claim of filing a constitutional challenge as irrelevant to the bail issue. Article 139(i) of Guyana’s Constitution explicitly authorizes the deprivation of liberty for extradition purposes, reinforcing Datadin’s stance. The Mohameds are scheduled to return to court on November 10, 2025, to address charges of wire fraud and mail fraud. Attorney General Anil Nandlall clarified that the next step involves disclosing U.S.-provided evidence to the defense, ensuring the magistrate’s satisfaction with the extradition request. Nandlall also refuted allegations of political motivation behind the case, emphasizing the involvement of Jamaican lawyers to ensure impartiality. The Mohameds were previously sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in June 2024 for allegedly evading $50 million in taxes on gold exports.
Constitution prohibits bail to persons arrested for extradition- Lawyer Sanjeev Datadin
