by Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News
Day 10 of the ongoing trial into alleged electoral fraud during Guyana’s 2020 General and Regional Elections resumed with a significant testimony from Minister of Local Government Sonia Parag, who served as a PPP/C candidate at the time of the contested vote count.
As the second witness for the prosecution, Minister Parag recounted her firsthand experience at the Ashmin’s Building, which served as the GECOM Command Center during the tabulation process. She told the court that she observed attempts to manipulate the vote count — alleging that votes were deducted from the PPP/C and added to the then-incumbent APNU+AFC coalition.
“I objected strenuously to the discrepancies,” she said, noting that other witnesses, including Minister Kwame McCoy, also raised concerns.
Parag identified Mitchell Miller, one of the accused former GECOM officials, as the individual reading suspicious numbers from a spreadsheet—raising questions about the legitimacy of the figures being publicly announced.
The day began with re-examining the first witness, Rosalind Rasul, who responded to further questions from Lead Prosecutor Latamir Roopnaraine. The prosecution continues to build its case by calling high-profile individuals present during the disputed events.
Due to official duties, Minister Parag will not be available on Wednesday. The court will instead hear from the third witness, Kanhai Boodram, a member of In This Together United Guyana (INTUG).
The charges stem from extensive investigations into electoral misconduct during the highly contentious March 2020 elections.
- Multiple former GECOM officials and political operatives are facing 19 charges related to conspiracy to rig the results.
- The prosecution has signaled its intent to call up to 73 witnesses throughout the trial.
