– Witness details tabulation chaos

The 2020 election fraud case resumed this morning at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, with continued testimony on the Region Four tabulation process.

The matter is being heard by Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty.

Returning to the witness stand was Sasenarine Singh, an election agent for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic during the 2020 general and regional elections.

Singh told the court that on March 4, 2020, former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers informed those present at the tabulation centre that Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo had fallen ill.

Singh said he saw Mingo being taken out on a stretcher but could not confirm whether he was placed in an ambulance.

According to Singh, observers, party representatives, and staff of the Guyana Elections Commission remained in the room at all times.

He testified that around noon, Myers reported that Mingo had been hospitalized.

Singh said that when Mingo returned the following day, he proposed accelerating tabulation by using spreadsheets compiled from Statements of Poll.

That proposal, he said, was met with strong objections.

During his afternoon testimony, Singh said tabulation resumed on March 5 at about 12:30 p.m. and was abandoned around 2 p.m.

He stated that the process was started by former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield and later suspended until the next morning.

He testified that Mingo later said he had enough figures to make a declaration, prompting loud protests from party representatives, who shouted “No.”

According to Singh, only 421 of the 879 Statements of Poll had been completed at that time.

He also described heated exchanges between members of APNU and PPP, before Myers instructed everyone to leave.

He testified that days later, the then acting chief justice Roxanne George made a ruling nullifying the declaration by Mingo, and the process was restarted.

However, Singh said the process did not proceed as outlined, and fresh commotion followed.

Singh alleged that numbers were being called from a sheet that did not match the Statements of Poll.

He said the figures did not make sense and appeared to shift votes from the PPP to APNU+AFC.

While Mingo was not directly handling the figures, Singh testified that he was seen frequently leaving and re-entering the room.

He said these irregularities led to repeated objections.

The matter has been adjourned to February 17 at 10 a.m., when the trial is expected to continue.