Electoral fraud trial…

–testifies his demotion was punishment for insisting on securing SoPs, resisting pressure to evict election observers, party officials

FORMER Regional Division Four ‘A’ Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Edgard Thomas, testified on Friday that he was abruptly removed from his post during the controversial March 2020 elections.

He said he was informed that the decision was due to then-Commissioner of Police Leslie James’ dissatisfaction with his conduct at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Command Centre.

Thomas, who had served in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for nearly four decades at the time, told the court that his reassignment came despite having 37 to 38 years of unbroken service.

He said the sudden decision was made while he was executing duties at the GECOM Command Centre, housed at the Ashmin’s Building on High and Hadfield Streets in Georgetown, where the tabulation and verification of votes for Region Four was taking place.

Those charged include People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member Carol Smith-Joseph; former Health Minister under the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government, Volda Lawrence; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Keith Lowenfield; former Deputy CEO at GECOM Roxanne Myers; and former Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo. Also charged are GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Babb-Cummings, and Michelle Miller. Collectively, they face 19 charges of conspiracy to defraud, among other allegations, and are represented by a defence team.

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.

It is the prosecution’s case that each defendant had a “critical role” to play in the willful endeavour to inflate votes for the APNU+AFC, and deflate votes for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

SECURITY OF STATEMENTS OF POLL

Giving evidence before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts in the ongoing electoral fraud case, Thomas explained that his removal followed events that unfolded in the tense post-election environment, as vote counting for Region Four was underway.

During his testimony, Thomas outlined his role in overseeing security at the GECOM Command Centre.  He recounted that on March 5, 2020, between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., while stationed at the Brickdam Police Station, he received a call from then-Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore, whom he had earlier assigned to duties at the Ashmin’s building.

He said Azore told him that Myers indicated a “very important” announcement was imminent and requested additional police ranks at the location.

Thomas said he advised Azore to utilise all available ranks. About 20 minutes later, Thomas said he received a call from then-Commissioner James, instructing him to proceed to the GECOM Command Centre.

“I proceeded as instructed. Before my arrival at the building, it was indicated to me via the radio set that an announcement was made in the form of a declaration by Mr. Clairmont Mingo. I entered into the Ashmin’s building and I saw persons… they were lining the steps and I heard them shouting, ‘No Mingo, no!’” testified Thomas, who is still a member of the GPF.

ACP Thomas testified that he observed several PPP/C election officials at the Ashmin’s building, including the late GECOM Commissioner Bibi Shadick, current Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, and then-Opposition Leader, now Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

He testified to observing that police ranks had been “strategically positioned” at various doorways.

According to Thomas, PPP/C official Zulfikar Mustapha—now the Minister of Agriculture—told him that police officers were blocking his attempt to deliver a recount order to GECOM officials.

He said: “I give the police instructions to allow Zulfikar Mustapha to go wherever he wants to locate GECOM officials.”

Thomas testified that he heard Shadick insisting that the Statements of Poll (SoPs) must be protected—a call that was echoed by Jagdeo and Benn.

He said Shadick directed Gunraj to ensure the SoPs were secured before she, Benn, and Jagdeo exited the building. Thomas added that he and Gunraj were discussing the protection of the SoPs when Myers began shouting at people to “y’all need to get out of the building.”

Myers’ directive for people to leave was issued due to a bomb threat at the premises.

“She [Myers] was told by me that the Statements of Poll need to be protected. She came down to the lower flat repeating that ‘we need to get out of the place.’ I repeated to Ms. Myers that ‘we need to protect the Statements of Poll,’” the police witness testified.

The Assistant Commissioner recalled seeing Myers engaged in a phone conversation and deduced that she was speaking with his senior, then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Maxine Graham.

He said: “Ms. Graham subsequently called me and indicated to me that the political party representatives and observers need to vacate the building. I told her that we have the Statements of Poll to protect. Being the commander, it was my duty to ensure security at the GECOM building, and the Statements of Poll were a concern for me… [they] had to be protected.”

After an extended conversation with Graham and his decision not to remove the individuals from the building, Thomas testified that he overheard Myers telling Graham, “Thomas doesn’t want to put the people out—send Azore.”

Within five minutes, Thomas said he saw Azore approaching Myers, followed shortly by eight men—later identified as members of the GPF Special Branch—entering the Ashmin’s building.

According to Thomas, he then received a phone call from then-Police Commissioner Leslie James, during which he provided a brief update on the situation and other related matters.

DEMOTED TO PATROL DUTIES

Thomas testified that James asked whether the individuals had vacated the building, to which he responded that the main concern was securing the SoPs.

He recalled James telling him, “If you can’t get them out, I will get them out.”

About 20 minutes later, Deputy Superintendent Clifton Davis and Assistant Superintendent of Police Ali entered the GECOM building, according to the witness.

After Davis began shouting at people to leave, Thomas said he told him that he was the commander and in charge, and that his behaviour was inappropriate.

Following this, he stated that Davis and Ali left the building. However, Davis soon returned with about 15 armed officers, who immediately began evicting people from the tabulation centre.

Thomas recounted: “They [the officers] had batons. They were wielding the batons, and they were shouting at the occupants of the building to get out.”

The ACP said that because of the ranks’ actions, he informed Gunraj that he could no longer guarantee his safety and then escorted him out of the building.

Thomas said: “I was even scared for my own safety because of how Davis was behaving. I could have been a victim of an accidental discharge.”

He recalled Myers shouting, “Y’all take y’all garbage and get out of here.”

Thomas said he called Graham to inform her he was leaving due to the behaviour of Davis, and she responded that it was a matter for him and the Commissioner of Police to resolve.

Thomas stated that he then tried to contact his senior officers, including Commissioner James, Graham, and the Head of Special Branch.

He later reached Deputy Commissioner Paul Williams, who informed him that the Commissioner was displeased with his performance, that he would be relieved of his duties, and that he needed to come to Police Headquarters to collect his letter of transfer.

“I didn’t receive the letter, so the next morning [March 6, 2025], I went back to Ashmin’s building to see what was taking place because I still had the responsibility. Ms. Graham called me on the phone and told me that I am no longer in command… and that Senior Superintendent Azore is now in command of Regional Division Four ‘A’. He [Azore] was junior to me by one level down,” Thomas said.

He added that upon collecting the letter, he learned he had been reassigned to serve as a patrol officer—a position he considered a major demotion, especially given his seniority and long-standing service in the Force.

When asked by Prosecutor, attorney-at-law Latchmie Rahamat to clarify the role of a patrol officer, he responded that such a position does not align with the responsibilities of an Assistant Commissioner, whose role is to support the Commissioner.

He added that he was unsure of his office location or specific duties under the new assignment.

Thomas stated that, to his knowledge, the most senior officer who had ever been assigned to perform patrol duties was a Senior Superintendent of Police—one rank below his.

OBJECTED

Assistant Commissioner Thomas said he objected to his reassignment as a patrol officer and raised the issue with the Police Commissioner, expressing that such duties were not appropriate for someone of his rank.

Following his objection, he said he was subsequently transferred to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), an entirely separate organisation from the GPF.

Thomas explained that, as part of special duty, the Commissioner has the authority to second police ranks to government agencies requiring assistance.

In his case, he said he was tasked with handling any policing matters nationwide in which the CDC required support.

“I was there [at CDC] attending meetings. During that time, it was COVID-19. And thereafter, in April 2020, I was transferred from the CDC with no place to work. I was at home,” he added.

Thomas testified that certain individuals at the CDC appeared uneasy with his presence at the agency. Although he was no longer assigned active duties, he said he was still required to report to Williams twice a month for approximately three months.

NO EXPLOSION OCCURED

On Friday, Superintendent of Police Rawle Nedd testified that on March 5, 2020, around 10:35 a.m., he led a team of police ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters Crime Laboratory to the Ashmin’s building in response to a bomb threat during the elections. However, he said the occupants refused to evacuate, preventing a search.

Despite repeated warnings from senior police officers, Nedd recalled that no one inside complied with orders to leave.

He stated that he was never informed of any explosion occurring, and that an official investigation into the incident was subsequently launched.

Assistant Commissioner Thomas is scheduled for further questioning by defence attorney Dexter Todd when the trial resumes on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 09:30 hours.