MORE evidence has emerged that the bomb threat to the Ashmin building that housed the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) command centre for the March 2020 Regional and General Elections was a hoax designed to allow corrupt elections officials to carry out a plan to alter the results in favour of the incumbent APNU+AFC administration.

Deputy Superintendent Elston Baird has said that there was no evidence of an actual bomb planted at the building

Baird, who is the Head of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), testified yesterday on day eight of hearings before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the 2020 elections, particularly the events at the Hadfield and High Streets in Georgetown building which was the main administrative centre for the overall elections and also housed District Four operations.

The witness said on November 25, 2022, he received a request to produce police records and entries made during March 2020 at the command centre.

He was tasked with conducting an investigation on the records and producing the report to the CoI.

Baird explained that some of the records he was asked to produce were lodged at the Brickdam Police Station. He disclosed that he was unable to locate some of these records due to the massive fire which destroyed the building on October 2, 2021.

However, Baird said he visited the Criminal Investigation Department, Headquarters at Eve Leary where he found some entries made by a police Corporal Doris.

These entries were presented to the CoI and admitted into evidence, which Baird read in court.
The entries detailed how several senior officers, including then-acting crime chief, Senior Superintendent Michael Kingston went to the command centre on March 5, 2020, where Assistant Commissioner of Police, Edgar Thomas informed the occupants of the building that there was a report of a bomb threat.

However, the building could not be searched since persons refused to leave.

In the next entry, on March 6, 2020, at about 15:15hrs, the senior officers returned to the location and met with then-Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Roxanne Myers, who then took them into the building and showed them a white foam cup which had a suspected video recorder inside.

The witness explained that during the course of his investigation he collected statements from Corporal Doris and two other officers, who were at the scene of the alleged ‘bomb threat ‘on March 5, 2020.

The officers were also present on March 6, 2020, and were shown the foam cup which had the alleged recording device inside.

Senior Counsel Sophia Chote, of Trinidad and Tobago, asked the witness if based upon his investigation, if there was any actual bomb at the building on March 5, 2020, based upon the police reports.

Blair disclosed that based on the records, there was no evidence of a bomb at the Command Centre.

During one of the CoI’s hearings, GECOM’s Chief Security, Ronald Stuart, provided intimate details of how the now infamous bomb threat was designed to remove party agents from witnessing the tabulation process for Region Four.

Stuart had testified that he was summoned to Ashmin’s building by Myers to get everyone out of the tabulation room because they were interfering with Mingo’s work.

The witness had said he saw no proof of the alleged interference and, therefore, refused to carry out the task assigned.

However, 15 minutes later two male ranks entered the building and identified themselves as being from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force. They informed him that a bomb was planted in the building. This was later proven to be a hoax.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Detective Inspector Junior Blair told the CoI that on March 6, 2020, he received an “object” from Police Corporal Doris. He explained that the object appeared to be a black desk clock.

Blair explained that Doris asked for his formal opinion because he had his suspicion of it being a video recording device. The device, he said, was about three inches and did not have a power cord.

“Through the glass, it appeared as what looked like a camera lens. But I wasn’t sure what it was,” he said.

However, when questioned by Chote about any record of the observation, Blair said that it was just a formal request, so none was made.

Commissioner Godfrey Smith questioned Blair as to why he did not open the device, to inspect it properly to confirm if it was a recording device.

“The thing is, I have never seen a device like that before. So, I didn’t want to venture too much. I don’t know exactly what it was because it didn’t look like a regular video recorder. It wasn’t coming on and it wasn’t powering up” Inspector Blair said

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ronald Ali testified about going to the command centre on March 5, 2020, to assist with getting GECOM Chairman, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh out of the building to safety.

The chairman was locked in a room which was guarded by heavily armed police officers. The chairman had complained of feeling unwell, but the ranks barred the EMTs from entering the room.

According to Ali, he along with other ranks went up the stairway to the room and saw a crowd trying to gain entry into the room.

The witness recalled how the ranks successfully entered the room and were able to safely escort the chairman to her vehicle, where she was quickly whisked away.

According to Ali, they were later instructed to “clear” the building and “lock it down.” He recalled that Myers was present and was telling everyone to exit the building.

Upon further probing by Chote, Ali said he did not know what was the reason for the clearing of the building but he aided in executing the orders.

CoI Chairman, Stanley John and commissioner, former Chancellor, Carl Singh are also presiding over the hearings.

The CoI hearings continue today.