Trial for Mingo, Lawrence, Smith-Joseph slated to commence Friday
Aug 24, 2021 , Source - https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...-to-commence-friday/
Elections fraud case…
Kaieteur News – The trial for the election fraud case which involves Chairperson for the People’s National Congress, Volda Lawrence; former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo; and A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) activist, Carol Smith-Joseph, is expected to commence on Friday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Former GECOM Region Four RO, Clairmont Mingo
PNC Chairperson, Volda Lawrence
The trio’s trial will be conducted by Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan. Earlier this year, the Chief Magistrate had ruled on the mode of trial for Lawrence, Mingo and Smith-Joseph’s court matter. The Magistrate had ruled that the matter will be tried summarily – her ruling paved the way for the trial to commence.
The Defence Attorneys had asked the court for the matters to be tried indictably, which means, that a preliminary inquiry (PI) will be conducted in the Magistrates’ Courts and if sufficient evidence is found, the matter will then be sent to be tried before a Judge and Jury in the High Court.
However, the special prosecuting team objected to the matter being tried indictably and had asked the court for the matters to be tried summarily, which means, that the matter will be tried and disposed of in the Magistrates’ Courts.
The Chief Magistrate had then ordered both the prosecution and the defence attorneys to make their submissions, and had set a date for the ruling on the mode of trial. This resulted in her ruling in favour of the prosecution, and as such, the matter will be tried in the Magistrates’ Courts as opposed to going to the High Court for trial.
The trio is facing multiple electoral fraud charges. All the matters are currently being heard in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Some of the defendants were slapped with a number of joint and individual charges. Some of those charges are, misconduct in public office, conspiracy to commit fraud, forging a document and forgery.
Mingo and Lawrence are facing a joint charge, which alleges that on March 5, 2020, in Georgetown, with intent to defraud the public, they uttered a certain forged document, that is to say, a report purporting to be a true declaration of all votes cast in District Four for the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections, knowing said report to be forged.
APNU+AFC activist, Carol Smith-Joseph
Mingo also faced another joint charge with Smith-Joseph. That charge alleges that on March 13, 2020, they uttered a forged document purporting to be a true report of all votes cast in the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections, while knowing that the report was forged.
Additionally, Smith-Joseph faces two individual charges, which state that on March 13, 2020, at High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown, she conspired with Mingo and others to declare a fraudulent count of votes for District Four for both the general and regional elections.
On their first court appearance, Mingo was placed on $60,000 bail for the two charges he faced, Lawrence was placed on $30,000 bail for the joint charge she was slapped with, and Smith-Joseph was placed on a total of $90,000 bail for the three charges that were read to her.
The Police had announced in August 2020, that they will be conducting a comprehensive investigation into the criminal conduct of former Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield; former Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers; Mingo and others, in relation to the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections and the events that followed. During the ongoing probe, several GECOM officials were arrested and placed before the court for electoral fraud charges.
