–former Top Cop tells CoI
THE Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections reconvened today, with retired Police Commissioner, Leslie James sharing damning information about a fallout at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) command centre, Ashmin’s building, where his ranks “violated” his orders and simply went rogue.
“What I was seeing was total disorder,” James said, noting that he recalled watching the livestream of events on national television.
According to James, after seeing the “mayhem” and “total disorder,” he had to take immediate action.
On the day in question, District Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo attempted to make a false declaration from the stairway connecting the ground floor to the first floor of the building.
Mingo had attempted to make the declaration from data derived from spreadsheets, which the Commission had never authorised.
However, his declaration was met with objection by politicians, and this caused police officers to block the stairway to the second floor where the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Judge, Justice Claudette Singh, was located.
Previously, several witnesses had testified that the room, which was locked, was guarded by heavily armed police officers.
The Chairperson had complained of feeling unwell, but witnesses said ranks barred the EMTs from entering the room.
The witnesses recalled that the door was so secure that they had to “push” and “kick” it until it broke open.
During one of the CoI’s hearings, GECOM’s Chief Security, Ronald Stuart, provided 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 the Ashmin’s building by Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Roxanne 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.
Another police witness had previously testified about receiving instructions to “clear” the building and “lock it down.” The police recalled that Myers was present and was telling everyone to exit the building.
The witness said that they did not know what the reason for clearing the building was, but he aided in executing the orders.
However, James during his testimony on Wednesday, revealed that he did not give instructions for persons to vacate the buildings, but for the officers to “secure” it instead.
However, he was forced to watch on the live relay as the ranks defied his orders, but he “didn’t see the need” for him to do anything.
He added that he contacted the Chairperson, who told him that she was “scared” and “alone,” but he did not address her security concerns or inquiry if her internal security was there to her aid.
“I assumed that they were maybe outside or nearby where she was, but I did not see it necessary to ask where her bodyguards were at the time when she told me,” James said.
However, he was railed by the Commissioners for this action. But James insisted that Justice Singh did not request police presence so he backed off.