– as police open probe into allegations of electoral fraud
Returning Officer for District Four, Clairmont Mingo and several other officials of the Guyana Elections Commission were on Tuesday taken into custody as police open their investigations into allegations of electoral fraud.
Village Voice was told that Mingo was first picked up from his home on the West Coast Berbice Tuesday morning after police served a warrant on him. His home was searched and then he was escorted to the Fort Wellington Police Station. He was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department. Attorney Darren Wade looking into the interest of Mingo told reporters that he had not been briefed properly by the police regarding the arrest of his client. He said Mingo’s cellphone was seized. Wade also told reporters that he had seen several other GECOM officials at the CID headquarters who were also detained as part of the investigations.
In a short statement Tuesday night police confirmed that Mingo, age 69 years of Little Abarry Mahaicony and Carolyn Mikhaik Duncan, age 42 years, Registration Officer attached to Better Hope Gecom Office and of ‘W’ North Sophia, who was attached to Mr. Mingo’s secretariat were arrested. They are still in custody assisting with the investigation.
In a media release last week the Guyana Police Force said that as of Friday formal reports were received which alleged criminal conduct by Mr. Keith Lowenfield, Mr. Clairmont Mingo and others in relation to the March, 2nd, 2020, General and Regional Elections and events subsequent thereto. “As a result, legal advice was obtained from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the Guyana Police Force was advised to launch a comprehensive investigation into these allegations in accordance with its mandate,” the release stated.
The DPP has further indicated that in the exercise of powers vested in her under Article 187 of the Constitution, she will take over the private criminal charges currently pending in the Magistrate’s Court in relation to the March 2nd, 2020, General and Regional Elections and its aftermath.
A PPP/C activist and others had filed the criminal charges against the CEO for alleged misconduct in public office. The allegations by Desmond Morian are that Lowenfield, while performing his duties as CEO of GECOM, ascertained the results of the March 2 elections “knowing the said results to be false, the said willful misconduct amounting to a breach of the public’s trust in the Office of the Chief Elections Officer of [GECOM].” With the complaint being filed, the police now would have to investigate the matter. Charges were also filed against PNCR Chairman, Volda Lawrence by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Charles Ramson. The PPP/C had been furious over a report Lowenfield had submitted, which the CEO said was based on valid votes cast at the March2, 2020 elections. The report had shown the APNU+AFC coalition winning the elections by 33 seats to 31 for the PPP/C and one for the joinder party.
Two weeks ago President Irfaan Ali announced that an inquiry into the 2020 General and Regional Election, which was marred by allegations of fraud and thousands of irregularities will be initiated shortly. In his inauguration as the 9th Executive President of Guyana at the National Cultural Centre, President Ali said Guyanese painfully experienced grave trauma and anguish over the last five months as a result of attempts to rig the elections held on March 2. “…A review of events – related to the electoral process over the last five months – will begin shortly in order to determine, forensically, exactly what transpired, and to hold accountable any person who sought to pervert and corrupt the system,” the President announced.
Initial declarations made by 10 Returning Officers in March showed a win for the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), however, following a 33-day National Recount, and a series of Court battle, the PPP/C was declared winner of the General and Regional Elections by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). It is alleged that the Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo had inflated the number of votes cast in favour of APNU+AFC as the votes declared by him varied significantly from those recounted. That aside, the recount unearthed massive irregularities and well over 4,000 cases of voter impersonation. The Courts, however, have ruled that any challenge to the validity of the election results must come by way of an Elections Petition.
