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More electoral fraud charges for Lowenfield
Kaieteur News – The GECOM Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, was yesterday slapped with six additional electoral fraud charges, in relation to the investigation by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) into the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections.
Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield
Lowenfield yesterday reported to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, at 12:00hrs with one of his attorneys, Nigel Hughes, when the new charges were put to him and he was arrested and escorted to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Six charges were read to Lowenfield – three counts of misconduct in public office and three counts of forgery. The prosecutor made objections to bail to being granted to the defendant, however, the Magistrate granted bail in the sum of $50,000, on each charge, a total of $300,000, and the matter was adjourned to October 23, 2020.
While speaking to reporters outside of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, Hughes stated that, based on his speculation, Lowenfield’s suspension from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) could follow since the six charges were recommended by the State. Lowenfield is already before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts facing three private electoral fraud charges that allege; fraud, misconduct in public office and breach of public trust.
The criminal charges were filed against Lowenfield on June 30, 2020, by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) member, Desmond Morian, and The New Movement Party (TNM) executive, Dr. Daniel Josh Kanhai.
Lowenfield is currently out on a total of $450,000, bail for the private criminal charges and the trial for those charges are scheduled to commence in November.
According to one of Lowenfield’s lawyers, Senior Counsel Neil Boston, his client has to return to court on October 23, 2020, to receive the remaining statements of witnesses that are expected to testify against him and on November 13, and November 20, 2020, when the trials for the charges against Lowenfield are expected to commence.
Police announced in August last that they will be conducting a comprehensive investigation into the criminal conduct of Lowenfield; the Returning Officer of Region Four, Clairmont Mingo; and others in relation to the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections and the events that followed.
During the probe, several GECOM officials were arrested and put before the court for electoral fraud charges.
Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers, recently made her first court appearance on Friday last and was released on $300,000, bail for two counts of misconduct in public office charge. She is expected to make her next court appearance on October 23, 2020.
Mingo was slapped with four charges that allege that he misconducted himself while holding a public office. On December 15, 2020, he is expected to return to court for the continuation of those matters.
Mingo is also before another court facing a joint electoral fraud charge with former Health Minister and PNC/R Chairperson, Volda Lawrence, for conspiracy to commit fraud. The duo is expected to make their next court appearance on November 16, 2020.
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