The long-running criminal trial stemming from Guyana’s disputed March 2020 General and Regional Elections was again forced to pause on Tuesday after a defence attorney failed to appear, halting proceedings at a critical stage in the case.
When the matter was called before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, the prosecution informed the court that former Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn had been expected to testify. However, Benn was unable to attend due to illness.
In light of his absence, prosecutors indicated that they were prepared to proceed with four police witnesses in relation to the ongoing voir dire concerning defendant Denise Babb-Cummings. The court heard that the witnesses were present and ready to give evidence specifically tied to that evidentiary phase.
However, proceedings could not advance because defence attorney Eusi Anderson, who represents Babb-Cummings, was out of the jurisdiction and could not be contacted. Magistrate McGusty was told that efforts had been made to reach Anderson, but those attempts were unsuccessful.
Given the absence of counsel to conduct cross-examination and participate in the voir dire, the magistrate ruled that the court could not proceed. The matter was subsequently adjourned to Wednesday, February 25, for continuation.
The adjournment comes as the trial is presently engaged in a voir dire, a trial within a trial, to determine the admissibility of certain evidence relating specifically to Bab-Cummings. Witnesses were present and prepared to testify on issues connected to that process, but without defence counsel available to proceed with evidence-in-chief or cross-examination, the court was left with little choice but to stand the matter down.
Magistrate McGusty subsequently signalled her intention to impose structured hearing dates in the coming months to avoid further slippage.
Proposed trial blocks for mid-March and late April 2026 were floated as part of ongoing case management efforts aimed at maintaining momentum in proceedings that have already spanned years.
Nine accused remain before the court on charges of conspiracy to defraud voters by allegedly attempting to manipulate election results in favour of the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, formally known as APNU+AFC, and deny victory to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
Those charged include former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo; former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield; former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers; former APNU+AFC Minister Volda Lawrence; APNU+AFC Chief Scrutineer Carol Joseph; and former GECOM employees Enrique Livan, Sheffern February, Michelle Miller and Denise Bobb-Cummings.
The charges arise out of events that unfolded during the tabulation of votes in Region Four, the country’s largest electoral district. The controversy over the handling and declaration of results in that region triggered a political and constitutional crisis that extended for five months, drawing regional and international scrutiny. The impasse ended only after a national recount and a series of legal challenges, culminating in the swearing-in of Irfaan Ali on August 2, 2020.
Since the commencement of the criminal proceedings, the trial has encountered a series of interruptions, including administrative setbacks and legal arguments over evidentiary procedures. The current voir dire marks the fourth such exercise in the case, underscoring the complexity of the prosecution’s attempt to introduce contested material.
Prosecutors have argued that the accused conspired to interfere with the lawful tabulation and declaration of votes overseen by the Guyana Elections Commission, while the defence has maintained that the charges are politically motivated and unsupported by credible evidence.
Tuesday’s adjournment adds to a pattern of delays that have tested the patience of observers and heightened public interest in what is widely regarded as one of the most consequential criminal trials in the country’s post-independence history.
With structured hearing dates now proposed, the court appears determined to press forward, but the pace of the proceedings will depend heavily on consistent appearances by counsel and the smooth navigation of the remaining evidentiary hurdles.
The matter resumes on Wednesday, February 24.
Discover more from Guyana Times
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
