2020 elections fraud trial: Minister Parag describes ‘deviation from lawful conduct’ under defence cross-examination

The 2020 elections fraud trial resumed on Thursday before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, with Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, back on the stand, facing continued and intense cross-examination.
Parag, a key witness in the prosecution’s case, testified on Monday and returned to continue answering questions, this time under the scrutiny of defence attorneys Nigel Hughes and Dexter Todd.
Parag, who served as a polling agent for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) during the controversial Region Four tabulation process, described what she termed a breakdown of procedure and a deviation from lawful conduct.
Her testimony sheds further light on the events at GECOM’s Ashmins Building’s office during the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
“I made 21 objections… and they continued”, she said while being cross-examined by Nigel Hughes
Minister Parag confirmed that she was present at the Region Four tabulation centre from early on March 4, 2020, until the next morning, specifically from “between 8 and 9 in the morning” until “about 3 a.m.” the following day.

Objections
Her concerns, according to her, began when she noticed discrepancies between the numbers being read aloud and those on the SOPs in her possession.
“My objection was that the numbers that she [Michelle Miller] was calling were not reflective of the numbers that I had on my statements of poll,” she testified. “I made 21 objections… and they continued.”
She acknowledged informing her party’s Elections Agent, Zulfikar Mustapha, now Minister of Agriculture, and requesting intervention.
However, she admitted during her cross-examination with Hughes that she did not take any photographs or audio recordings, nor did she bring SOPs to court as evidence on Thursday.
She remained adamant that the numbers being read were not what she or her party had verified.
Attorney Dexter Todd took over cross-examination later in the session by diving into the origin of the spreadsheet used by GECOM officials.
When asked about her knowledge of Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act, Parag acknowledged she was “fairly” familiar with it and agreed that it laid out who is responsible for verification and counting.
But when Todd pressed whether GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer had the authority to override polling station results, Parag said firmly,“I don’t agree with that.”
Todd also challenged Parag on whether the SOPs in her possession were officially verified documents. She confirmed that the copies she received from PPP polling agents were compared against those posted outside polling stations.
“There is a copy of a statement of poll posted outside of every polling station… I verified with my copies,” she explained.

Deliberate manipulation
She further stated: “There are two periods of time: at Ashmins on March 3, what appeared to be SOPs were being used. On March 4, GECOM officials, Michelle Miller and Ms. Bowman, were using what appeared to be a spreadsheet… and they were not matching at all,” she stated.
“Later on the 4th of March, the Chief Elections Officer stopped the count,” she continued, explaining that it was only after multiple objections that SOPs were finally used, starting with Box 4001.
“As Box 4001 is called, I’m comparing that with the SOPs in my possession… the numbers are being called in relation to each political party… and I’m comparing that with the one I have.”
Throughout Thursday’s hearing, defence counsels Hughes and Todd attempted to paint Parag’s objections as politically charged and lacking legal grounding.
Hughes grilled the minister on whether she had knowledge of legal protocols for challenging election results, to which she admitted: “I can’t say that I was familiar at that time” with the legal process for objections, though she confirmed that a petition was later filed.
However, the minister stood firm under pressure, maintaining that what took place at Ashmins Building amounted to deliberate manipulation.

Rigging accused
Nine individuals have been charged in connection with the case. These include Keith Lowenfield, the former Chief Elections Officer; Roxanne Myers, the former Deputy Chief Elections Officer; and Clairmont Mingo, the former Region Four Returning Officer. Also charged are Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) staff members Michelle Miller, Enrique Livan, Sheffern February, and Denise Babb-Cummings. In addition, Carol Smith-Joseph, an APNU+AFC activist, and Volda Lawrence, a former minister and senior APNU+AFC official, have also been implicated.
They are accused of conspiring to defraud electors during the 2020 elections by altering tabulation procedures and suppressing the accurate transmission of results in Region Four.
The trial, continues to unfold before Magistrate McGusty after numerous delays. The proceedings remain one of the most consequential legal efforts in Guyana’s democratic history. With Parag’s testimony now drawing to a close, more witnesses are expected to take the stand in the coming days. The hearing continues today at 9:30h.