00:00In a letter dated August 14, 2026, the Mohammeds' legal team called on Justice Anderson to withdraw from all proceedings
00:07involving their clients.
00:09They also demanded full disclosure of internal emails, correspondence, and records, arguing that only transparency can restore trust in the
00:17CCJ.
00:18The letter was issued on the same day that Justice Winston Anderson issued a media release denying allegations leveled against
00:24him by fellow judges.
00:25The move comes after leaked emails among CCJ judges suggesting Justice Anderson tried to influence colleagues in the Mohammeds' appeal.
00:34Those revelations were first reported by the Trinidad Express and TV6.
00:38The letter stated, open quote,
00:41Our clients respectfully request that Justice Anderson take no further part in any proceedings concerning our clients unless and until
00:48these matters have been fully addressed and resolved, close quote.
00:51The controversy deepened last week when Aubrey Norton, leader of Guyana's People's National Congress, alleged that Justice Anderson had personally
00:59engaged him in discussions about replacing Guyana's top judicial officers with government-favored candidates.
01:06Norton claimed that Justice Anderson told him that Acting Chancellor Yoneth Cummings Edwards was satisfied with the package she got
01:14from government and had agreed to step aside.
01:16He further alleged Anderson pressed him to approve appointments of Roxanne George Wiltshire as Chancellor and Navindra Singh as Chief
01:24Justice.
01:25Justice Anderson, in a CCJ media release last week, dismissed the allegation.
01:29He stated,
01:50The attorneys argued that if Norton's account is true, Justice Anderson crossed the constitutional line by involving himself in partisan
01:58negotiations.
02:00They said the CCJ president has no lawful role in the appointment of Guyana's Chancellor or Chief Justice, positions that
02:07require agreement between the president and the opposition leader under Article 127 of the Constitution.
02:13The letter demands preservation of telephone records, diary entries, itineries and meeting notes involving Anderson, Guyana's President Irfan Ali, opposition
02:22leader Norton and other judicial and government officials.
02:25The attorneys gave the court seven days to respond, warning that Philly to comply may force them to seek formal
02:31relief.
02:32The allegations have triggered a crisis of confidence in the CCJ.
02:36Leaked communications already revealed judges accusing Anderson of authoritarian conduct and attempts to override judicial independence.
02:43Justice Peter Jamona described the environment as toxic while Justice Ibu Osuji accused Anderson of trying to single-handedly override
02:52judicial independence.
02:53In the Mohamed's case, the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission has announced an independent review of the allegations.
03:00But the Mohamed's attorneys argue that such a review offers no immediate relief, with extradition hearings against their clients set
03:07to resume in September.
03:09Mark Basant, TV6 News.
03:11Mark Basant, TV6 News.
Comments