2020 Election Fraud Trial Stalled After Defence Fails to Appear in Court
February 26 2026
Court proceedings in the high-profile case surrounding alleged electoral fraud from Guyana’s 2020 General and Regional Elections were brought to another standstill on Tuesday after a defence lawyer failed to attend the scheduled hearing.
Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty postponed the hearing to Wednesday, February 25, after attorney Eusi Anderson failed to attend the proceedings at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, either physically or by virtual appearance.
As a result, the court was unable to move forward with the presentation of evidence.
Several officers from the Criminal Investigation Department were in attendance and prepared to testify.
However, the magistrate noted that the only witnesses present were those connected to a voir dire hearing involving accused Denise Babb-Cummings.
Attempts to contact Anderson, who was reported to be out of the jurisdiction, were unsuccessful. The court was therefore unable to determine whether proceedings could lawfully continue in his absence.
The case has experienced repeated postponements, largely attributed to defence-related delays.
It centres on claims that a group of senior electoral officials and political figures collaborated to interfere with the outcome of the March 2, 2020 elections.
Those before the court include former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers, former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, former Health Minister Volda Lawrence, and People’s National Congress Reform member Carol Smith-Joseph.
Also charged are former employees of the Guyana Elections Commission — Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Babb-Cummings and Michelle Miller. Anderson represents Babb-Cummings in the proceedings.
Collectively, the defendants are facing 19 criminal counts, including conspiracy to defraud and misconduct in public office. All have pleaded not guilty and were granted bail after posting large cash sums.
Because the allegations arise from the same series of events, the matters have been consolidated into a single trial, which is expected to continue throughout the week once hearings resume.
The prosecution contends that the accused each played a significant part in a scheme aimed at increasing votes for the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change coalition while reducing support for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic.
The 2020 elections plunged the country into months of legal and political turmoil, with numerous court challenges filed by competing political actors.
The impasse lasted nearly five months before a national recount was conducted under the supervision of the Guyana Elections Commission and a Caribbean Community team.
That recount confirmed a victory for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic with 233,336 votes, compared to 217,920 for the APNU+AFC coalition. This paved the way for the swearing-in of Irfaan Ali on August 2, 2020.
Earlier declarations issued by Lowenfield had controversially placed the coalition ahead, reporting 171,825 votes for APNU+AFC and 166,343 for the PPP/C.
Following the change of government, criminal proceedings were launched against the defendants. In August 2021, the Guyana Elections Commission terminated the contracts of Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo in connection with the fraud allegations.
A subsequent Presidential Commission of Inquiry later concluded that there had been collusion among senior election officials to divert votes in favour of the APNU+AFC coalition instead of safeguarding the integrity of the electoral system.
