Latest update August 20th, 2026 12:07 AM
2020 elections fraud trial resumes; fifth witness continues testimony
(Kaieteur News) – After nearly two months of adjournment, the 2020 General and Regional Elections fraud trial resumed on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty.
Among the defendants are former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield; former District Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo; former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers; former Minister of Health Volda Lawrence; APNU+AFC Chief Scrutineer Carol Smith Joseph; and former GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Liven, Michelle Miller, and Denise Babb-Cummings.
The charges allege that between March 2 and August 2, 2020, the accused conspired to manipulate the results of the 2020 elections at the Ashmins Building in Georgetown, thereby defrauding the electors of Guyana.
The trial resumed with testimony from Sasenarine Singh, Guyana’s Ambassador to The Netherlands and a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) agent during the elections. Representing the defence on Monday were attorneys Dexter Todd, Eusi Anderson, Nigel Hughes, and Ronald Daniels.
During his testimony, Singh detailed what he observed during the tabulation process. He told the court that he noticed a change in Mingo’s behaviour after questions were raised about discrepancies in the numbers being called. According to Singh, after leaving the tabulation room and returning, Mingo appeared agitated.
“I observed a different person. He started to bang his hand on the desk and shouted loudly, ‘I am in charge,’” Singh testified. He said Mingo then instructed Michelle Miller to call out figures from what he described as “a piece of paper with lots of numbers and names at the side.”
Singh recalled that the carbon copies of the Statements of Poll (SOPs) contained signatures and other identifying marks. He said he stood up and displayed his SOPs to other agents in the room, shouting that the figures being called did not match those projected on the screen.
“I lifted the carbon copy of the SOP showing the variation of what was occurring on the screen versus what was in my hand,” he stated.
Despite raising the issue, Singh said Mingo continued instructing former GECOM staff to proceed with calling the numbers. He maintained that concerns raised by him and other PPP/C agents were repeatedly ignored, even as they pointed out discrepancies between the figures being announced and those reflected on their copies of the SOPs.
Several witnesses have already testified in the matter, including Minister of Education Sonia Parag, ANUG executive Kian Jabour, former Assistant Police Commissioner Edgar Thomas, and election observer, Rosalinda Rasul.
The trial is set to continue at 10:00 hrs on Tuesday and will proceed throughout the week.
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I am betting $1.00 this case will last until the next election 2030…which will see
Azruddin Mohamed victorious, since his trial will also last that long in the
court system.