BY: TIANA COLE | HGP NIGHTLY NEWS|
Day 32 of the high-profile election fraud trial continued on Tuesday before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, with the prosecution pressing forward in its presentation of evidence related to the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
The case, involving several former GECOM officials and political operatives, centers on 19 charges linked to alleged attempts to alter election results. Prosecutors have so far signaled plans to call approximately 73 witnesses before the trial concludes.
At the start of Tuesday’s session, Magistrate McGusty informed the court that defense attorney Eusi Anderson was “out of the jurisdiction for the week,” while attorney Nigel Hughes, who was reportedly unwell, joined the hearing virtually and requested that a colleague hold brief for him. Attorneys Dexter Todd and Darren Wade were also absent, with Wade later experiencing technical difficulties connecting via Zoom.
Among those testifying during the day’s proceedings was Police Corporal and videographer Martin Douglas, who told the court that he recorded a 2020 interview with defendant Denise Bob-Cummings at the Major Crimes Unit. However, the footage was not played after Bob-Cummings objected to its admissibility in the absence of her attorney at the time of the recording.
Also taking the stand was Dr. Daniel Josh Kanhai, the newly appointed Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, who was cross-examined by defense attorney Ronald Daniels regarding correspondence exchanged between former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield and GECOM Chair, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh.
Later in the afternoon, GECOM Human Resources Officer Marcia Crawford was also cross-examined. With several defense lawyers absent, the Magistrate invited defendants to question Crawford directly—but all declined the offer.
The trial is set to continue on Wednesday, when three additional police witnesses are expected to testify as the court delves further into what remains one of Guyana’s most closely watched legal proceedings.
