Jagdeo warns of criminal charges for disclosure of death certificates and ‘false’ accusations during recount

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Saturday issued a stern warning, particularly to agents of the APNU+AFC coalition participating in the ongoing recount exercise, that there are consequences for knowingly making false accusations and disclosure of death certificates without permission.

Jagdeo said those making false allegations during the recount exercise for the APNU+AFC with the intent of discrediting the March 02, 2020 general and regional elections can face criminal charges.

The Opposition Leader during a virtual briefing said he has been contacted by a private law firm with advice on how to treat with what he said were “false allegations” being made on a daily basis by APNU+AFC agents.

He said there are also consequences for disclosing death certificate without the permission of the next of kin.

“It’s a ton of nonsense that we see every day and as I said there has to be consequences,” he added.

Jagdeo urged those agents operating at the lower level not to make accusations based on the advice of their seniors without evidence at hand. He pointed to the observation reports where accusations are consistently made without proof provided.

“They [Coalition Leaders] are sending the sacrificial lambs and the big wigs are not there to face the consequences,” he said.

The Opposition Leader said the Coalition seems to be on a fishing expedition and is intentionally overloading the system with fake accusations.

He pointed to claims by APNU+AFC agent Aubrey Norton that there were more votes than voters in a ballot box from East Berbice which was found to be untrue and later claims of anomalies in a ballot box from Sophia which is yet to be counted.

“It just tells you of the desperate place that they are in, totally desperate lies.”

Jagdeo said the APNU+AFC seems to be creating a smokescreen to divert attention from the key issue of why the recount took place.

He reminded that the recount is proving that the Region #4 declaration by Mingo was not accurate and credible.

“But we have to keep people’s attention on that matter because that is the key issue here,” he added.

Jagdeo called on the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission Justice (retired) Claudette Singh not to give credence to “fake allegations” by APNU+AFC.

He urged the GECOM Chairman to release Mingo’s spreadsheet and GECOM’s SOPs for Region #4 in a disaggregated form.

“I find it duplicitous for GECOM to be turning a blind eye to this illegality which can be easily proven by documents in their possession yet giving credence to wild unverified allegations from APNU.”

Jagdeo said the real fraud committed in the March 02, 2020 elections were the inflation of votes for the coalition and not the claims of anomalies being put forward by the incumbent.