Attorneys for Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed have written to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) requesting that the Court’s President, Justice Winston Anderson, refrain from any further participation in proceedings concerning their clients until the issues raised by them are addressed.
Attorneys-at-Law, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, SC, Siand Dhurjon and Damien Da Silva say recent media reports concerning internal correspondence among CCJ judges raise concerns directly relevant to their clients’ case. The correspondence reportedly contains allegations about panel management, decision-making processes and attempts to influence fellow judges’ views.
“Our clients are of the considered opinion that Justice Anderson would have crossed the line and breached the separation of powers principle by involving himself in this matter. If true, Justice Anderson’s actions would leave the indelible impression that he overstepped the proper bounds of his office, seeking to use his position as President of the CCJ to influence the selection of Guyana’s Chief Justice and Chancellor in a manner calculated to facilitate and advance the wishes of the ruling party.”
They are seeking urgent disclosure of materials said to concern alleged impropriety of Justice Winston Anderson.
They said their clients remain concerned about whether they received the constitutionally guaranteed fair hearing to which they are entitled. The attorneys further maintained that the allegations, if established, could have serious implications for the Court’s institutional integrity, decision-making processes and public confidence in the administration of justice.
“Our clients are deeply disturbed and distressed by the allegations and have formed the strong and reasonable view that they may not have received the fair hearing which is constitutionally guaranteed to them. Already, thousands of Guyanese have taken to social media to criticize the CCJ for its posture and perceived impropriety in our clients’ case. It must be said that the public perception of our clients’ most recent appeal before the CCJ is that justice did not appear to have been done. The erosion of public confidence in the CCJ and the President of the Court, Justice Anderson cannot be underestimated,” the attorneys said in the letter.
They said urgency arises because the extradition proceedings involving the Mohameds are scheduled to resume on September 3, 2026, with six full hearing days anticipated. The attorneys have therefore sought immediate action in relation to their clients’ concerns, including disclosure of relevant materials and safeguards to ensure the fairness of the pending proceedings.
The attorneys gave the Court seven days to produce the requested material, stating that their clients reserve the right to pursue formal legal remedies if disclosure is not provided.
The letter also raises separate allegations made publicly by Aubrey Norton, leader of Guyana’s People’s National Congress. Norton reportedly claimed in an August 11, 2026 interview that Justice Anderson contacted him concerning proposed appointments to Guyana’s top judicial offices.
According to the correspondence, Norton alleged that Justice Anderson had effectively entered the political fray and sought to advance the PPP government’s political interests and discussed replacing the then acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings-Edwards, the prospective appointments of Roxane George-Wiltshire and Navindra Singh as Chancellor. The constitutional agreement of the Leader of the Opposition required for substantive appointments to the offices of Chancellor and Chief Justice.
The attorneys argue that a President of the CCJ should have no role in political discussions surrounding appointments within Guyana’s judiciary. They say that, if the allegations are substantiated, any such involvement could amount to an improper intrusion into matters reserved for Guyana’s constitutional and political actors.
They also seek preservation of potentially relevant records, including emails, electronic messages, phone records, diaries, itineraries and meeting records involving Justice Anderson, Norton, Guyana’s President, the Attorney General, government representatives and the judicial officers named.
