Minister of Local Government, Sonia Parag, took the stand this morning as the Election Fraud Case resumed today before Chief Magistrate (ag), Faith Mc Gusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

In her detailed testimony, Parag – who was an agent of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – recounted the hours leading up to the first “declaration” made by the then Region Four Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo and the mountain of objections that followed during the course of the controversial 2020 Elections.

She told the Court that it was on the night of March 4, 2020 at the Region Four Command Centre that she observed the votes being tabulated by Election Officer, Mitchelle Miller from a “spread sheet” were vastly different from the numbers stated on the Statement of Poll (SOP) in her possession.

According to Ms. Parag, the numbers were inflated in favour of the then ruling A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Chance (APNU+AFC) Coalition.

“From Box 4001, the number that Miss Mitchelle Miller called, I compared it with the number that I had, the numbers that I had on the copy of the Statement of Poll in my possession, and it did not match the number that I had. In addition to that I asked for her to repeat the number, she repeated the number and I said that is not the number that I have on my Statement of Poll,” Parag recounted.

Parag said she repeatedly objected, and while Miller paused for a moment, she continued to tabulate the votes, amid those objections.

“The numbers that were being called by Mitchelle Miller was actually adding votes for the APNU+AFC and deducting votes for the PPP,” Parag said as she responded to a series of questions posed by Special Prosecutor, Latchmie Rahamat.

According to her, Miller, notwithstanding strong objections from agents of the PPP and observers on the ground, continued with the inflated numbers in favour of the coalition.

“I objected to every single one of those boxes, because every single one of those boxes, the number that she called from 4001 to 4021, the numbers did not match from the copies of the Statements of Poll for the PPP/C or the APNU+AFC,” she said.

Parag said among those who objected was Minister Kwame McCoy, who was also an agent of the PPP/C. According to her, McCoy accused the Election Officials on the ground of attempting to rig the elections in favor of the coalition.

A party agent present at the time had requested that the SOPs be used instead of the “Spread Sheet.”  

The then Chief Election Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, according to Parag, later entered the room, and was informed of the discrepancies. However, she said he reportedly explained that the spread sheet reflected the numbers on the SOPs.

But according to Parag, Lowenfield’s explanation was met with fierce rejection. She said it was not until the President of the Bar Association Teni Housty flagged the practice by quoting the electoral laws, that the CEO acted, and instructed that the SOPs be brought in.

Once the SOPs were used, the numbers, she said correlated.

However, she said not long after the SOPs were brought in, the Elections Officer began operating at an extremely slow pace, and later complained about being tired, and the tabulation grind to a halt.

Parag said on March 5, 2020, the tabulation process never recommenced although there was a commitment by GECOM to do.

Instead, she said the Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) Roxanne Myers, at around 11:00hrs, instructed the persons present in the tabulation building to evacuate the building due to a reported bomb scare.

“I took a seat, I took a seat and stay there all day,” she said, noting that she had rubbished the report of the bomb scare.

She said not long after, the Returning Officer (RO), who had fallen ill, had reappeared. Parag said he then attempted to declare the results of the election although, the tabulation process was never completed.

“By the time he said that, the entire room including myself jumped up and objected, told him you cannot do this Mr Mingo, you cannot do this the tabulation exercise is not completed for Region 4,” she recalled.

According to her, the tabulation process was far from completed.

Meanwhile, earlier, AMCHAM Observer, Rosalina Rasul wrapped up her testimony in Court after several days of questioning.

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