–says there were prior attempts by coalition agents to clear building by disrupting election process

ROSALINDA Rasul, who was an observer for AMHCHAM during the 2020 general and regional elections, testified in court on Monday that she refused to evacuate the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Command Centre at Ashmin’s building because she believed it was a tactic by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) to remove election observers and then opposition.
Her testimony formed part of an ongoing trial surrounding the controversial handling of the 2020 elections, which saw allegations of fraud and attempts to manipulate the vote count being levelled against former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) staff and APNU+AFC political figures.

Rasul told the court she did not believe there was an actual bomb threat on March 5, 2020.
According to her, agents of the then-ruling coalition had repeatedly attempted to clear the building by engaging in acts to disrupt the election process, and she viewed this as another attempt to disrupt the tabulation of votes for Region Four.
When the trial began last month, Rasul testified that Clairmont Mingo, the former Returning Officer for Region Four—the country’s largest voting district—persisted in using spreadsheets for vote tabulation, despite Chief Justice Roxane George’s clear directive to rely solely on the Statements of Poll (SoPs).

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Nigel Hughes on Monday, Rasul admitted that she believed the police were relaying false information.
“I refused to leave because I did not believe there was a bomb scare,” Rasul stated in response to questions from Hughes, adding that other individuals, including party agents, also remained in the building.
When Hughes asked if she had made any effort to consult the APNU+AFC after observing a pattern of disruptive behaviour, Rasul responded, “No, I did not.” However, the witness stated that she discussed the issue with her fellow observers and opposition agents.

Hughes suggested that her decision to remain in the building was biased, but she swiftly refuted this, stating, “I disagree.”
He then asserted, “You and the organisation (AMCHAM) you represented are biased,” to which the prosecution witness again responded, “I disagree.”
Rasul is set to undergo further cross-examination when the trial resumes at 9:30 hrs today, with defence attorney Eusi Anderson leading the questioning.
Meanwhile, arrangements are being made for the court to visit the Ashmin’s building and GECOM’s headquarters, where tabulation for Region Four was also done.
Additionally, the presiding magistrate granted Anderson’s request for Rasul to submit her curriculum vitae to the defence.
The charges, which allege conspiracy to manipulate the 2020 election results, have gripped national attention for years.

The defendants in this case are Mingo; former Health Minister under the APNU+AFC government Volda Lawrence; People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) activist Carol Smith-Joseph; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) at GECOM Keith Lowenfield; former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers; and GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Babb-Cummings, and Michelle Miller.
Collectively, they face 19 conspiracy charges and are represented by a defence team that also includes attorneys Ronald Daniels, and Darren Wade.
Due to the charges arising from the same set of circumstances, the matters have been consolidated. Each defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges and secured their release by posting significant cash bail.
If convicted in the Magistrates’ Court, the accused could face up to three years in prison for each charge, according to the prosecution. Prosecutors plan to call approximately 72 witnesses, including Minister of Local Government Sonia Parag, and GECOM Chairperson retired Justice Claudette Singh, to substantiate their case. On the prosecution side, there is King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani, attorney-at-law Latchmie Rahamat and several state counsel from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The prosecution’s case is that the defendants altered results for Region Four to favour the APNU+AFC coalition.
The initial results, announced by Lowenfield, claimed an APNU+AFC victory, but a recount led by GECOM and a high-level Caribbean Community (CARICOM) delegation revealed a win for the PPP.
The recount confirmed that the PPP/C won the elections with 233,336 votes against the APNU+AFC coalition’s 217,920.
The APNU+AFC coalition received 171,825 votes, while the PPP/C received 166,343 votes, according to former CEO Lowenfield’s election report.
Following the PPP/C’s return to office in August 2020, criminal charges were filed against key election officials and politicians.
GECOM made the decision to terminate the contracts of Lowenfield, Myers, and Mingo in August 2021, after the allegations of fraud came to light, a move that was welcomed by many.