–as investigations continue into electoral fraud

ONE of the three women in police custody who was held after the arrest of GECOM Region Four Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo on Tuesday has fallen ill.
Carolyn Mikhaik Duncan, 48, who worked as a clerk in Mingo’s High Street, Kingston Secretariat has been identified by police as one of the women arrested.

The arrested GECOM employees worked directly with Mingo on Elections Day, and in the aftermath that led to the five-month delay of the March 2, 2020 elections result.
Mingo, 68, is being investigated for alleged fraud surrounding the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. Four persons in total have been taken into police custody thus far.

His arrest occurred days after the Police Force announced that it was launching a comprehensive investigation into reports of electoral fraud, as advised by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The three women, who are GECOM personnel, have since retained Attorney-at-law Eusi Anderson as their lawyer.
“Each of my three clients has cooperated with the police, from the point of arrest to their present detention; two were picked up at their homes, and one voluntarily went in to the police,” the lawyer noted.

“None of my clients are Mingo’s assistants; they are statutory officers of GECOM discharging functions according to law, some for over 15 years without a complaint or blemish on their record. To reduce their office and responsibility to mere ‘assistants’ of Mingo is unfortunate, and pregnant with connotations that can redound in substantial prejudice to my clients,” he added.
Court Marshalls had been looking for Mingo to serve him with a warrant for his arrest on criminal charges, which were filed by a private citizen, but were unable to locate him for several weeks.
The charges were filed in March by Attorney-at-Law Charles Ramson Jr, against Mingo, and PNCR Chair Volda Lawrence in relation to the controversial results for District Four.
One of Mingo’s attorneys, Senior Counsel Roysdale Force on Tuesday night outside the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) claimed that Mingo’s legal rights were abused by the police by denying him legal representation during questioning.

“He was provided with no information about why he was removed from his home; he was afforded no explanation. He had to insist to get some idea as to why he is here. I don’t believe that was put to him in any clear way,” Forde said.