Opposition calls on diplomats to monitor shooting involving Mohamed
…alleges police intimidation, assault and questions how weapon was found in vehicle
(Kaieteur News) – The Office of the Leader of the Opposition (OLO) has called on diplomatic missions and international partners to monitor the investigation into a midnight shooting incident involving Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and two members of his staff, alleging possible political intimidation and calling for an impartial examination of the circumstances surrounding their arrest.
Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed
According to the document, the three individuals “spent approximately 17 hours in police custody” following a midnight shooting incident outside the home of Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, Head of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch Unit. The brief states that the vehicle carrying them “was struck by five bullets reportedly fired by Senior Superintendent Narine,” though “none of the occupants sustained injuries”.
The opposition office expressed deep concern that Senior Superintendent Narine’s claim of “being shot at first may be used to justify what the Leader of the Opposition and his staff maintain was an unprovoked attack against them”. The document highlights that the vehicle “is known to the Guyana Police Force” and that “members of the Special Branch regularly follow the Leader of the Opposition”. Following the shooting, the vehicle was stopped along Vlissengen Road where an initial search found “no weapon,” during which time the occupants were “allegedly physically assaulted by police officers” and Senior Superintendent Narine allegedly “pointed a firearm at the Leader of the Opposition and threatened to kill him”. Despite objections from the Leader of the Opposition, the vehicle was driven to Kitty Police Station by an individual associated with Narine, and “a weapon was subsequently reported to have been discovered in the vehicle”.
Emphasising that the Leader of the Opposition occupies “a constitutionally significant position in Guyana’s democratic system,” the office warned that “state institutions are being used to intimidate the political opponents, especially members of the We Invest in Nationhood”. To ensure justice and maintain public confidence, the office called for a thorough examination focusing on the shooting, the legal basis for the arrests, the initial search, the vehicle’s chain of custody, the origin of the weapon, and the preservation of CCTV footage and forensic evidence.
Accordingly, the Office of the Leader of the Opposition called on diplomatic missions and international partners to “monitor the situation and seek clarification from the Guyanese authorities,” “encourage a transparent and impartial process that safeguards evidence and upholds due process,” “raise concerns regarding the personal security of opposition officeholders,” and “remain engaged with developments affecting democratic accountability, political participation, and the rule of law in Guyana”. The brief concludes with a warning that “Guyana must not drift towards a political environment in which violence, intimidation, or the perceived misuse of state institutions undermines the ability of elected representatives to fulfill their constitutional mandate”.
Source: Kaieteur News
