The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) are renewing their claim that the March 2020 General and Regional Elections were manipulated, pointing to testimony by former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Information Technology Manager Aneal Giddings concerning his handling of Statements of Poll during the disputed tabulation process.
In a statement issued following Giddings’ evidence on September 28, the opposition parties said his testimony had raised serious questions about the custody and handling of electoral documents at the Ashmin’s Building, where Region Four votes were being tabulated.
Giddings acknowledged under cross-examination that he had no written authorisation to remain with the Statements of Poll (SOPs) for approximately four hours after the tabulation process was halted. He testified, however, that then Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield had verbally authorised him to remain with the documents.
Giddings also acknowledged that he had not previously told police about the alleged oral authorisation and that September 28 was the first time he disclosed it publicly. He also said there was no direct supervisor or independent observer with him during the period.
PNCR/APNU seized on that testimony, arguing that the absence of written authorisation raises questions about the chain of custody of documents containing the votes cast by Guyanese.
“He had NO written authorisation to be alone with the Statements of Poll for four hours. None. Not a memo, not a directive, not a scrap of paper.”
The parties also questioned Giddings about another document he was reportedly seen writing on while the SOPs were in his possession. According to the court report, he was unable to produce the document and acknowledged that he had not provided it to police.
“What was he writing? The Guyanese people deserve to know.”
Giddings has maintained that his role involved securing, categorising and packaging SOPs after the tabulation was halted. He has also denied tampering with the documents or permitting anyone else to do so.
During re-examination, he was specifically asked whether he had accessed, altered or tampered with an election server after removing it from the tabulation centre during a March 5, 2020 bomb scare.
“No, I didn’t.”
He also denied permitting anyone else to access or tamper with the server.
The issue of Giddings’ custody of the SOPs forms part of a wider prosecution involving alleged manipulation of the 2020 election results. Nine persons are currently before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, including former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers and former APNU+AFC minister Volda Lawrence. They have denied the allegations.
The March 2020 elections were followed by a five-month dispute over the tabulation and declaration of results before PPP/C presidential candidate Irfaan Ali was sworn in as President on August 2, 2020.
Recent testimony has focused heavily on discrepancies between Statements of Poll and later declarations. A forensic accountant previously testified that Region Four declarations contained significant differences from certified SOPs, including an increase of more than 20,000 votes for APNU+AFC and a reduction of more than 3,000 votes for the PPP/C.
PNCR/APNU is now demanding a full independent forensic audit of the events at the tabulation centre, the production of all documents handled or written on by Giddings, disclosure of any authorisation for his custody of the SOPs and comprehensive electoral reform.
“The Guyanese people were robbed in 2020. The courtroom is now showing them exactly how.”
The election-fraud proceedings remain ongoing, with the matter adjourned until October 19, when hearings are scheduled to resume.
