Election fraud case further delayed to end of October

The criminal trial into alleged election fraud case, has been adjourned for another 45 days, as the presiding magistrate Leron Daly remains on leave.

The trial was expected to restart today following the the end of a 30-day sick leave which was granted to the Magistrate. However, the Attorneys in the case were informed this morning that the Magistrate is still ill and remains on leave.

In the absence of Magistrate Daly, acting Chief Magistrate, Faith McGusty adjourned the case to October 31. The Chief Magistrate (ag) indicated that if Magistrate Daly is still unwell by October 31, the Court may have to take submissions on the trial and have it assigned to another Magistrate.

The trial into the alleged attempt to commit fraud during the 2020 Elections commenced on July 29, 2024. However, it was adjourned after just three days as the Prosecution raised repeated concerns over the omission of certain “evidence” that were deemed inadmissible by the City Magistrate. The Prosecution had also complained bitterly about the number of objections raised by the Defense.

It was then delayed until mid-September, as the Magistrate proceeded on medical leave.

Only two witnesses have testified before the Court since the commencement of the trial, with the testimony of the second witness, still to be completed.

The defendants in the matter are former Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield, former Deputy Chief Election Officer Roxanne Myers and former Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, along with Opposition Member of Parliament, Volda Lawrence; People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Member Carol Smith-Joseph; and Election Officers Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Bobb-Cummings and Michelle Miller.

Together, the nine accused are facing 19 conspiracy charges relating to an alleged attempt to declare fraudulent results during the course of the 2020 Elections.

They have all declared their innocence.