Taxes evaded by Azruddin worth ‘275 years of presidential pay’ – Jagdeo says ‘no salary’ promise a sham

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has dismissed as laughable Wednesday’s claim by U.S sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed that he would refuse a presidential salary if elected to office.

Mohamed made the declaration at a public meeting in Parfait Harmonie, telling supporters he would forego any pay if he leads the country and give it to charity instead.

But while addressing the media on Thursday, Jagdeo scoffed at the promise, describing it as hollow.

“So he says he won’t take a salary — but this is a man who evaded $11 billion in taxes. He hasn’t served a single day in government yet he’s already collected the equivalent of 275 years of a presidential salary,” Jagdeo said.

The Vice President accused Mohamed of enriching himself through years of gold smuggling and tax evasion, pointing out that even the duties avoided on his luxury Lamborghini are more than “ten years of a president’s salary.”

“That’s not a great promise to make — it’s a sham. He says he’ll fight corruption when he’s under US sanctions for gold smuggling. He’s also been implicated in torture and trafficking of people,” Jagdeo told reporters.

Jagdeo said it was “insulting” that someone sanctioned by the United States now parades himself as a champion of clean governance.

“What irks me most is that the most corrupt person in this country is the loudest about corruption. The reality is, he can’t even have a bank account anywhere in the world because of international sanctions,” Jagdeo said.

Mohamed was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department last year for alleged involvement in transnational gold smuggling, fraud, and other illicit activities. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Jagdeo urged Guyanese to see through what he described as “cheap stunts and empty talk.”