GECOM’s staff in elections flash drive scandal arrested

Information Technology Officer Enrique Livan, who was figured in a flash drive scandal on March 5 at the Ashmin’s Building in Georgetown during the plot to derail the electoral process, has been arrested.

Livan was held by Police at a shop in the vicinity of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in Kingston, Georgetown just before lunch on Thursday.

Livan was promoted by Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield to perform the duties of a supervisor at one of the stations for District Four during the national vote recount despite questions over his involvement in one of the scandals that saw the collapse of the legal system for the tabulation of the vote count in that very district.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed to the News Room that Livan was arrested as part of the probe into the elections. He remains in custody.

Lowenfield had sought to defend Livan when he was promoted during the recount.

“Mr Livan continues to conduct himself and execute his functions in a diligent and professional manner,” Lowenfield, stated on May 20, 2020.

The elections Secretariat noted that on the morning of March 5, 2020, Mr Livan was tabulating votes cast for lists of candidates for District 4 when counting agents accused him of stealing a laptop and flash drive and demanded to see the information therein.

The Chief Elections Officer was called in after accusations and assaults were meted out to Mr Livan, the Secretariat noted.

The Guyana Police Force was also called in and “appeared to deal with the alleged theft,” the GECOM Secretariat noted.

Lowenfield said that as a staffer, Mr Livan could not be accused of theft of GECOM’s equipment and he also facilitated a verification of the information on the computer and flash drive.

Livan is being represented by attorney Eusi Anderson, the same attorney who is representing three assistants of the District Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo.