–Magistrate issues arrest warrant for police inspector who failed to appear despite court order
Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairperson Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh is among the witnesses who remain to testify as the prosecution continues presenting its case in the March 2020 election fraud trial involving nine defendants.
The trial took another turn on Tuesday when Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty issued an arrest warrant for Woman Police Inspector Roshelle Peters after she failed to appear at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, despite being ordered to attend.
Prosecutor Madana Rampersaud informed the court of Peters’ absence, prompting McGusty to remind him that the witness had been bound over to appear on October 27.
Rampersaud acknowledged the court’s position, explaining that he had been trying to avoid wasting judicial time and resources.
Peters testified last month about a passport application made in the name of former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, one of the accused, and the operation of the passport system.
She previously told the court that she had worked as a supervisor in the data-entry section of the Central Immigration and Passport Office.
In October 2020, while stationed at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, she was summoned to Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters and questioned about Lowenfield’s application for a new passport.
The trial centres on allegations that the tabulation of votes in Region Four during the March 2020 General and Regional Elections was manipulated to favour the then-incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change coalition over the People’s Progressive Party/Civic.
The defendants include Lowenfield, former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers, former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, former APNU+AFC government minister Volda Lawrence and former APNU+AFC chief scrutineer Carol Smith-Joseph, alongside four former GECOM employees.
All nine have pleaded not guilty and are on cash bail.
The disputed electoral process was resolved through a national recount, which paved the way for the declaration of results and the swearing-in of PPP/C presidential candidate Dr Irfaan Ali as President on August 2, 2020.
The criminal trial began in July 2024 and has heard evidence from election officials, police investigators and other witnesses.
The matter is scheduled to resume Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.07:16
