GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Guyanese authorities arrested the South American country's new opposition leader Friday following an extradition request from the U.S. government.
Azruddin Mohamed, one of Guyana's wealthiest citizens, was recently indicted by a federal grand jury in Florida on charges including money laundering, bribery, tax evasion and wire and mail fraud.
Mohamed is the leader of the We Invest in Statehood party, which won 16 of 65 parliamentary seats in the September 1 general election.
He appeared in court Friday and was later released on $750 bail and ordered to return to court in early November for a second extradition hearing.
His father Nazar Mohamed, who faces the same charges, was also arrested and released on bail.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall said authorities were acting on a formal US request for their extradition.
One of the Mohameds' lawyers, Siand Durjon, said some of the crimes “are not extraditable offenses under the laws of our country or even the extradition treaty” in effect in Guyana.
Last year, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed, his father and his family business for allegedly smuggling more than 22,000 pounds (10,000 kilograms) of gold into the U.S. from Guyana and evading more than $50 million in taxes.
Azruddin Mohamed was expected to be chosen by new opposition MPs as their leader on Monday when Parliament meets for its first meeting.
The case highlighted persistent corruption in the oil-rich South American country's government.
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