2020 elections fraud trial: “I would stomp you in your chest” – witness testifies to hearing threats against candidate

Trial in the 2020 elections fraud case continued on Monday morning at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty with the continuation of the testimony from People’s Progressive Party (PPP) elections agent, Sasenarine Singh, who testified to having witnessed threats against A New and United Guyana (ANUG) party representative, Jonathan Yearwood. During his cross examination by Defence Attorney Nigel Hughes, Singh acknowledged that he was present at the GECOM Office on March 13, 2020 when there was an altercation between Yearwood and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Chief Scrutineer, Carol Smith Joseph, during the Region Four Statement of Polls (SOP) tabulation.
During the tabulation Yearwood was among those present who objected to the procedure being used to tabulate the Region Four SOPs. The court hears that during the procedure several persons had complained of the numbers being displayed by the former Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo, being different from the numbers on copies of the SOPs that elections agents had in their possession.
According to reports, during the situation Smith-Joseph was noted to be harassing persons who objected, and would eventually get into a physical altercation with Yearwood. Video from the altercation had allegedly shown Yearwood pushing Smith-Joseph. Yearwood was later arrested by the police. According to Singh, just preceding the physical altercation he heard Smith-Joseph threatening Yearwood.
“She said I would stomp you in your chest,” Singh noted as he gave testimony under oath. Pressed by the defence, Singh admitted to not having heard what was said by Yearwood prior to the threat from Smith-Joseph. He noted that Smith-Joseph was very loud which is why her words were overheard very clearly. Smith-Joseph and Mingo are among nine persons currently charged with conspiracy to commit electoral fraud in relation to the tabulation of votes for Region Four in the 2020 GRE. They include former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowefield, former Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers, former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Minister Volda Lawrence and former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) employees Enrique Livan, Sheffern February, Michelle Miller, and Denise Bobb-Cummings. Among the offences these defendants are accused of committing are: misconduct while holding public office; presenting falsified documentation; and planning to manipulate Guyana’s voters by presenting an inaccurate vote total. These charges stem from attempts to rig the 2020 Elections in favour of the then-ruling APNU/AFC. As the case continued on Monday the defence also began cross examination of Singh, beginning with cross examination by Attorney Nigel Hughes. Singh had last testified in February when the case was adjourned. During Singh’s testimony on Monday several videos which he had recorded during his time at the GECOM Ashmin’s Building office were played and Singh explained what took place during the videos. During his cross-examination Singh was questioned about the chain of command of the copies of the SOPs that the PPP polling agents received from the respective Presiding Officers during the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.
Singh recalled that he made notes about the details of the SOP that he received, but noted that he could not recall off hand what those details were. He said that he handed his notes over to a clerk at the party’s Freedom House Headquarters and signed a document acknowledging receipt of the document. Singh was also cross examined by Attorney Eusi Anderson, where he was questioned about posts he has held since the PPP assumed office in 2020. Singh’s cross examination is expected to continued when the trial resumes on Friday. On Monday the prosecution also noted that they will be making submissions in the voir dires. The trial currently has five voir dires, where the admissibility of several pieces of evidence is being determined. The prosecution noted that they are expected to file at least two of the submissions in the voir dires by Friday.