Chief Magistrate examines evidence in 2020 elections fraud trial
February 18 2026
Proceedings in the closely watched 2020 elections fraud case advanced on Tuesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts as the court considered whether critical evidence would be allowed at trial.
While journalists were allowed inside the courtroom, they were barred from reporting on the substance of the proceedings, which involved a voir dire, a legal process used to determine whether disputed evidence can be formally introduced during the main trial.
The hearing focused on Enrique Livan, a former Information Technology Officer at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
He is accused of mishandling a flash drive on March 5, 2020, at Ashmin’s Building in Georgetown, which housed GECOM’s Command Centre and served as the Office of the Returning Officer for District Four during the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.
Prosecutors contend that the incident was connected to efforts to influence the tabulation of votes for Region Four, the country’s most populous electoral district.
Roxanne Myers
Region Four’s vote tabulation process was heavily scrutinised during the 2020 elections and sparked prolonged political disputes before the final results were officially declared.
Alleged irregularities during the count prompted legal action against several election officials and political figures, who now face trial.
Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty presided over the hearing, during which several members of the Guyana Police Force gave testimony, including Assistant Superintendent Komal Pitamber, Police Corporal Trevor Moore, and Detective Inspector James.
Livan also took the stand. Although media personnel were present, the magistrate prohibited reporting on the content of the evidence to preserve the integrity of the proceedings and ensure that any ruling on admissibility would not be compromised.
The voir dire is a crucial stage of the trial, as the magistrate’s decision will determine whether the disputed material can be used as evidence during the main proceedings.
The broader trial resumed earlier this week after a prolonged adjournment. The court has adopted structured case-management guidelines to organise the presentation of witnesses and evidence, a necessary measure given the complexity and scale of the case.
Livan is one of nine individuals charged in connection with the alleged tampering of Region Four’s vote tabulations.
The defendants include PNC/R members Carol Smith-Joseph; former Health Minister under the APNU+AFC government, Volda Lawrence; former GECOM Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; and former Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers.
Also charged are former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and former GECOM staffers Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Babb-Cummings, and Michelle Miller.
They face 19 charges, including conspiracy to defraud, and misconduct in public office, all linked to an alleged plot to declare a false count of votes in the 2020 elections.
Each of the accused has pleaded not guilty and was released on cash bail.
They are being represented by a defence team that includes attorneys Nigel Hughes, Dexter Todd, Eusi Anderson, and Darren Wade.
King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani is leading the prosecution, with attorneys Latchmie Rahamat and Madana Rampersaud assisting.
The trial is set to continue today, with two other witnesses expected to testify.
Prosecutors allege that between March 2 and August 2, 2020, Lowenfield, Myers, and Mingo, along with the other defendants, conspired with others to present a false account of the election results, thereby defrauding the electorate.
According to Lowenfield’s election report, the then-caretaker APNU+AFC coalition government gained 171,825 votes and the PPP/C 166,343 votes.
However, the national recount of all ballots which was supervised by a high-level team from CARICOM revealed that the PPP/C won the elections having obtained 233,336 votes while the coalition garnered 217,920.
The recount also showed that Mingo allegedly inflated the votes for Region Four, the country’s largest voting district, in favour of the APNU+AFC.
GECOM sacked Lowenfield, Myers, and Mingo in August 2021.
Some of the accused were also identified in the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI).
The CoI concluded that senior election officials and other individuals played key roles in efforts to manipulate the tabulation and declaration of results for Region Four during the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.
