Preferential treatment? Jagdeo continues to flag delays in elections fraud trial

The fraud trial into the 2020 General and Regional Elections has been beset by numerous delays and on Thursday, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo questioned whether some of the accused persons and parties were benefiting from preferential treatment from members of the judiciary.

Jagdeo, the General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), emphasised that the government has no control over the judiciary.

As such, it does not dictate when cases are tried.

However, he said the PPP is ready to see the case unfold as it has “all the evidence to show there was a coordinated attempt to steal the elections.” Jagdeo also clarified that the government isn’t asking for an acceleration of the case; it just wants the trial to get going.

Because of persistent delays, Jagdeo suggested that there may be some other factors at play.

“Somehow, people associated with the opposition seem to get their cases delayed forever but if it’s someone linked to the PPP, like in libel cases, those fly through the court like a hurricane,” Jagdeo said.

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The long-delayed trial finally commenced on July 29, 2024- years after the controversial March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

At that hearing, a summary of the case was presented by King Counsel Dharshan Ramdhani followed by testimony from Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag.

It was subsequently delayed as Magistrate Leron Daly was unwell. The trial should resume sometime this September.

Nine persons are before the court in relation to electoral fraud.

They are: former APNU+AFC government minister Volda Lawrence; former GECOM Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield; former GECOM Returning Officer for District Four Clairmont Mingo; former GECOM Deputy Chief Election Officer Roxanne Myers; APNU+AFC’s Chief Scrutineer Carol Smith Joseph; and former GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Liven, Michelle Miller and Denise Babb-Cummings.

They face nine conspiracy charges which are said to have been committed between Elections day (March 2, 2020) and to August 2, 2020.

It is alleged that the defendants conspired during the 2020 General and Regional elections to defraud the electors of Guyana by declaring a false account of votes cast.