Guyana’s Chief Elections Officer Gets G$450K Bail – Updated

Georgetown, Guyana, Fri. July 24, 2020, INews Guyana: Embattled Guyana Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield made his first court appearance today at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court in relation to the private criminal charges filed against him.

Lowenfield was slapped with three private criminal charges regarding conspiracy to commit fraud and breach of trust in public office. He was granted bail in the sum of $450,000; $150,000 on each charge.

They were filed by Josh Kanhai and Desmond Morian, private citizens.

The CEO is being represented by Attorneys Nigel Hughes and Senior Counsel Neil Boston.

He is expected to make his next court appearance on August 14.

Kanhai, a member of The New Movement Party, filed a charge claiming that “the accused between the 5th day of March and 23rd day of June 2020 at Georgetown in the Georgetown Magisterial District, County of Demerara, State of Guyana conspired with person(s) unknown to commit the common law offence of fraud, to wit, by representing to the Guyana Elections Commission, that tables attached to his Election Report dated 23rd June 2020 accurately reflected the true results of the said election, in order to materially alter the results of the said election with intent to defraud knowing the said tabulation to be false.”

Morian is contending that Lowenfield, while performing his duties as CEO of GECOM, ascertained the results of the March 2 elections “knowing the said results to be false, the said willful misconduct amounting to a breach of the public’s trust in the office of the Chief Elections Officer of GECOM).”

Morian also filed another criminal charge, contending that the CEO conspired with person or persons unknown to use Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo’s fraudulent figures to prepare a report that was submitted to the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh, back in March.