President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Tuesday delivered a forceful rejection of allegations being pushed by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, accusing him of peddling false information while facing serious questions over his own credibility, including U.S. sanctions, a federal indictment and other unresolved allegations.
Ali challenged Mohamed’s claim that the president owns a 150-acre, multimillion-dollar farm, saying the allegation is demonstrably inaccurate since the property comprises just over 60 acres — less than half the size claimed by the opposition leader.
The president said the farm has existed since around 2012 and that the property, loans used to finance his investments and everything else he owns have been declared to the Integrity Commission in keeping with his statutory obligations.
“I have nothing to hide,” Ali declared. “Every single thing that I own has been declared to the Integrity Commission.”
Ali said he took documented loans and reinvested in the farm over the years, dismissing the attempt to portray the longstanding agricultural investment as something secret or unexplained.
But the president said the issue extends beyond one inaccurate claim about acreage. He argued that serious questions must be asked about the credibility of a political leader making sweeping accusations against others while confronting substantial allegations and legal proceedings of his own.
“In any fair system, credibility is important,” Ali said. “How credible is the person that’s making the allegation? How credible are the allegations?”
Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, were indicted by U.S. federal prosecutors in 2025 in a case involving alleged financial crimes connected to their business operations.
Azruddin Mohamed faces charges including conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. U.S. prosecutors have also alleged his involvement in a scheme to evade more than US$1 million in Guyanese taxes connected to the importation of a Lamborghini from Miami.
The indictment also seeks forfeiture of approximately US$5.3 million in gold bars seized at Miami International Airport.
Those charges remain before the courts and have not resulted in a conviction.
The indictment came after the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Mohamed, his father and Mohamed’s Enterprise in June 2024.
U.S. authorities alleged that Mohamed’s Enterprise underdeclared more than 10,000 kilograms of gold exported from Guyana between 2019 and 2023, resulting in more than US$50 million in taxes being avoided. U.S. authorities also alleged corruption involving government officials to facilitate illicit gold shipments and obtain favourable treatment.
Mohamed has denied wrongdoing.
Ali also drew attention to allegations that have surrounded Mohamed in connection with the 2021 execution-style killing of Ricardo Fagundes, known as “Paper Shorts.”
Mohamed has never been charged with Fagundes’ murder. His name, however, surfaced in public allegations concerning the investigation, including claims made by a police rank. Mohamed has strongly rejected those allegations and has maintained that attempts to associate him with the killing are baseless and politically motivated.
Ali argued that it is untenable for those serious matters to receive comparatively little attention while every accusation made by Mohamed against the government is amplified.
The president also referred broadly to other accusations surrounding Mohamed and his business dealings, arguing that political accountability cannot operate under one standard for the government and another for its accusers.
Ali said the opposition’s strategy is becoming increasingly clear — repeatedly circulate accusations in an attempt to create a perception of corruption even where the underlying claims are unsupported or demonstrably inaccurate.
“There is a move to paint the administration or paint the president in a particular way,” Ali said.
The president warned that the irresponsible circulation of allegations, particularly through social media, has reached a point where persons who are falsely accused should increasingly turn to the courts.
“My advice to every single person is to utilise the courts when wrongful allegations are made against you,” Ali said.
He said legal proceedings provide an avenue for evidence to be produced and allegations tested rather than allowing political accusations to acquire the appearance of truth simply through repetition.
The controversy over the farm, Ali argued, illustrates precisely that problem: Mohamed claimed approximately 150 acres, while the president said the actual property is only slightly more than 60 acres and has been declared to the constitutionally established Integrity Commission.
For Ali, the issue is therefore not simply whether allegations are made, but whether they withstand scrutiny — and whether those making them are prepared to face the same level of examination they demand of others.
While Mohamed is entitled to the presumption of innocence on the criminal charges against him and has denied other allegations, Ali made clear Tuesday that the opposition leader cannot demand scrutiny of others while expecting his own record and credibility to escape examination.