– Raises concerns over delays as new hearing dates set
-by Kimberly Giddings
Prosecutor Glenn Hanoman says the United States’ extradition case against businessman Nazar Mohamed and his son, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, is backed by what he calls “compelling evidence.”
As the hearing continued Thursday, Hanoman also accused the defence of employing tactics that have slowed the proceedings.
His comments came as Head of the Special Branch, Senior Police Superintendent Prem Narine, remained under cross-examination at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court today.
The defence has been questioning the basis of the extradition request and advancing arguments that political considerations are connected to the proceedings.
Hanoman rejected those claims, including suggestions that the United States is effectively acting on behalf of Guyana or that documents supporting the extradition request could have been fabricated.
He argued that aspects of the evidence date back to 2017, which the prosecution says undermines claims that the case was manufactured for a political purpose.
“Behind all of that is the fact that we’ve not been touched on the evidence at all so as the prosecutor I can tell you that there is compelling evidence in the bundle of documents that have already been tendered and that’s the primary issue for the magistrate to determine,” he explained.
Hanoman also raised concerns about the pace of the proceedings, accusing the defence of using repeated applications and other measures to delay the case.
He pointed to previous unsuccessful attempts to secure stays of the extradition proceedings and said the prosecution wants the matter dealt with expeditiously.
“They’ve made no secret of it, they’ve been applying for stays, and all of the courts refuse the stays. So they are now using whatever method they could use to delay. People have to go to masjid, lawyers suddenly have urgent medical matters. But as counsel for the US our interest is expediting the matters and of course it seems as though the defence interest is to delay,” he further noted.
The court has now set September 21, 22, 28 and 29 for the proceedings to continue after scheduling conflicts prevented agreement on earlier dates.
Narine, who remains under cross-examination, is expected back on the witness stand when the hearing resumes on September 21 at 9 hours.
