By Samuel Sukhnandan
Attorney General Anil Nandlall has raised serious concerns regarding the slow progress of the election fraud cases currently before the courts.
During his weekly programme, ‘Issues in the News,’ Nandlall criticized the defence for what he perceives as a deliberate strategy to delay the start of the trial.
The trial into the 2020 election fraud case, initially scheduled to commence on March 4 after a three-year delay, faced another interruption.
Defence attorney Nigel Hughes filed an application requesting minutes from GECOM’s meetings for the corresponding period.
Nandlall argued that the defence’s move to raise this issue after more than two years, despite having served statements, indicates a deliberate attempt to prolong the legal process.
Nandlall highlighted the public’s awareness of the incidents at the GECOM Centre at Ashmin’s Building, particularly regarding the use of spreadsheets by the Chief Elections Officer at the time, Keith Lowenfield.
Chief Justice Roxanne George had issued injunctive orders against using spreadsheets and mandated the use of Statements of Poll (SOPs) for tabulating election results.
Despite this, Nandlall noted that there had been no acknowledgment from the involved parties that a decision was made to use spreadsheets.
Instead, they all agreed that SOPs should be the basis for tabulation. Magistrate Leron Daly had ruled to refer the matter to the High Court for determination, adjourning the case until April 2.
However, Nandlall expressed disappointment that no such referral had occurred since the ruling.
While refraining from casting aspersions on judicial officers, Nandlall expressed frank concern over what he sees as a deliberate delay in the legal process.
He emphasized the significance of the trial’s progress to both the government and the citizenry.
The election fraud case remains a focal point of legal and political scrutiny, with Nandlall’s remarks shedding light on the frustrations surrounding its prolonged proceedings.