2020 elections fraud case resumes before Chief Magistrate

After prolonged delays, the 2020 elections fraud case restarted before Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court today for a case management hearing.

It was agreed that the case will resume on December 9 where the magistrate will make certain decisions.

The magistrate has to determine whether the case will be tried summarily or as an indictable offence. This means the magistrate has to decide whether a preliminary inquiry will be held or if the matter be tried by a magistrate.

Therefore, both the defence and prosecution will have to make written submissions to the magistrate for consideration in making the determination.

These submissions have to be made by November 29.

The trial had commenced on July 29, and was set to run from then to September 13 before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly. However, the magistrate proceeded on a prolonged period of sick leave, resulting in the case being pushed to October 31. However, on this date, the public holiday Deepavali is set to be observed, necessitating the court to once again reschedule the sitting to the following day.

On November 1, the matter was called before the Chief Magistrate where it was revealed that she will be taking over the case, as Magistrate Daly was still unwell.

Facing charges are former Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; his former Deputy, Roxanne Myers; former People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNCR) Chairperson Volda Lawrence; PNCR activist Carol Smith-Joseph; and GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Michelle Miller and Denise Babb-Cummings.