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GECOM IT Manager admits defying Myers’ order to leave Ashmin’s Building, remained unsupervised with SoPs
(Kaieteur News) – Former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Information Technology Manager Aneal Giddings admitted under cross-examination on Wednesday that he defied explicit instructions from then Deputy Chief Election Officer (DCEO) Roxanne Myers to leave the Ashmin’s Building during the disputed March 2020 election tabulation. Giddings acknowledged remaining behind unsupervised alongside another individual, Paul Persaud, to handle and package Statements of Poll (SOPs).
Giddings returned to the witness stand for a second day of cross-examination before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty as trial proceedings resumed following a three-month hiatus. The trial involves nine defendants, including former Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, former DCEO Roxanne Myers, and former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, who are facing charges related to alleged attempts to declare fraudulent results following the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections.
Aneal Giddings being cross-examined by Attorney-at-Law, Nigel Hughes
Under questioning by defence attorney Nigel Hughes, the court examined video footage showing Giddings inside the command centre’s tabulation room after Myers ordered all unauthorised persons, party scrutineers, and observers to evacuate the premises.
Cross-examination focused heavily on Giddings’ handling of electoral documents during that period. Giddings acknowledged that Myers instructed everyone to leave after citing unauthorised interference with the electoral process. He conceded he defied her directive, maintaining he remained behind because he felt responsible for the electoral materials his staff had signed for within the tabulation centre.
Confronted by Hughes regarding his activities alone in the room with Persaud, Giddings admitted to handling and packaging SOPs. When asked if he could state which region’s SOPs were in the envelope he was holding, Giddings testified that he could not recall. He further agreed that he made no retained personal record of the specific documents he handled, stating he left his notes at the tabulation centre.
Hughes suggested that remaining unsupervised provided an opportunity to switch or alter SOPs. While Giddings rejected claims of tampering, he conceded he could not identify the specific contents of the package when pressed on whether he could definitively refute defence assertions.
Wednesday’s testimony followed admissions made Tuesday, where Giddings conceded he removed GECOM’s primary server from the building following a reported bomb threat called in by police. Giddings admitted that neither Lowenfield nor Myers authorised the removal, and that he held no statutory mandate under the Representation of the People Act or his employment contract to take custody of the equipment.
Giddings confirmed that while he did not have the necessary peripherals, such as a monitor, keyboard, mouse, or uninterrupted power supply (UPS), inside his personal vehicle at the time, the server could technically have been accessed or extracted had that equipment been present while in his sole possession. State Prosecutor Latchmie Rahamat objected to suggestions that Giddings had stolen data or equipment, noting there was no evidence of intent to permanently deprive the commission of its property.
Giddings also faced questions concerning two unidentified individuals who reportedly approached and engaged him near his vehicle in the car park after he placed the server inside. Giddings testified that he did not recall their identities or the specifics of the encounter.
Defence counsel is expected to present further video footage of the tabulation room interactions as cross-examination continues on Thursday. All nine defendants maintain their innocence.
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