Mustapha says Black Belly Sheep Project above board

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has dismissed allegations made by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed over the Black Belly Sheep Project as erroneous, calling them the latest in a series of politically and personally motivated attacks built on innuendo and speculation.

In a statement, Mustapha said the accusations were part of a pattern in which Mohamed uses social media to apply pressure and advance a narrative of political persecution.

He said the allegations were false, malicious and without merit, adding that Mohamed resorts to insinuation when facts do not support his claims.

Mustapha said Mohamed entered politics after investigations and legal proceedings involving him in the United States had already begun, and suggested his public allegations were aimed at reinforcing a victimhood narrative while targeting those who declined to support him.

The minister said his son, a businessman, gold miner and qualified doctor with no political involvement, had become a target after ending a business association with Mohamed. He said his son had suffered reputational damage through repeated personal attacks stemming from that decision.

Mustapha said his son, as an independent adult, had every right to choose his associations, and that personal resentment should never be used as a weapon against an individual or family.

He said he would not be distracted by what he described as politically and legally motivated attacks, and remained focused on serving Guyanese with integrity and accountability.

Mustapha called for a political culture grounded in facts and evidence rather than misinformation or manufactured controversy, reaffirming his commitment to honest and dedicated public service.