THE trial into the alleged electoral fraud in the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections continued yesterday with two witnesses being called before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty for cross-examination.

The two witnesses called on Wednesday were Rondha-Ann Lam, Presidential Candidate and Leader of The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) in the 2020 General and Regional Elections and Jonathan Yearwood, former executive of A New and United Guyana (ANUG).
During her cross-examination, Lam was questioned by Attorneys Nigel Hughes, Ronald Daniels and Dexter Todd on various aspects, including her role during the recount process, which occurred at that time.

Lam, who noted that she was at the time acting as an agent for her party, ensured that she was informed of what her role was after being accredited.
Questions were raised in relation to whether she witnessed a tabulation or a verification process while on-site at the Ashmins Building.
Previously, Lam had testified that there were discrepancies in the figures, which led to disputes among party members over incorrect statements of poll (SoPs) numbers.
These discrepancies appeared to have shown a deliberate pattern of adjusting votes with increases benefitting the then incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).
Meanwhile, during Yearwood’s cross-examination, he was asked about the comparison of the content of the actual boxes with the SoPs that GECOM provided during the recount, to which he noted that he did not observe that happening.
Yearwood had previously testified that he and other party agents had raised objections to the tabulation process continuing.
At that time, when those objections were made vocal, he testified that international observers were being threatened and verbally abused by a named APNU+AFC representative.
However, both witnesses are expected to return for further cross-examination, while other witnesses are expected to take the stand and present evidence today.
Defendants in this matter include People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member Carol Smith-Joseph and former Health Minister under the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government, Volda Lawrence.

Also facing charges are former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, former Deputy CEO, Roxanne Myers and former Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

Also charged are former GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Babb-Cummings and Michelle Miller.
Collectively, they face 19 conspiracy charges and are being represented by a large defence team.

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

In the weeks that followed the March 2, 2020, vote, Guyana’s judiciary was inundated with multiple applications and appeals filed by various political actors over the electoral process.
The saga lasted five months before a national recount, led by GECOM and a delegation from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), confirmed the PPP/C’s victory and ultimately led to the swearing-in of President Dr. Irfaan Ali on August 2, 2020.

The recount confirmed that the PPP/C won the elections with 233,336 votes against the APNU+AFC coalition’s 217,920.
The initial election results, announced by former CEO Lowenfield, claimed an APNU+AFC victory.
The APNU+AFC coalition received 171,825 votes, while the PPP/C received 166,343 votes, according to Lowenfield’s election report.