The Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo, was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Guyana Police Force this afternoon as the Force launches a wide ranging probe into the allegations of fraud in the 2020 elections.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed Mr. Mingo’s arrest, but would offer no other detail.
The arrest of Mingo comes just four days after the Police Force announced that it was launching a comprehensive investigation into reports of electoral fraud as advised by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Force’s Legal Adviser.
A private criminal charge had been filed against the Region Four Returning Officer back in March by PPP member Charles Ramson Jr. who is now the Minister of Culture Youth and Sport.
The charge was in relation to the first declaration of the election results for Region Four made by Mingo. That first declaration of incorrect numbers led to the High Court ordering Mingo to tally over the votes and do it in front of the party reps.
But Mingo’s new numbers again raised concerns based on the Statements of Poll that the People’s Progressive Party made public.
Mingo refused to change the numbers again and made a declaration. That declaration led to a political standoff which resulted in a recount of all votes cast in the elections.
The recount took more than a month and a recount of Region Four votes showed that although the APNU+AFC won the region, the margin in Mingo’s declarations was far more than the recounted figure.
Mingo was not part of the recount and it was the recount numbers that were used to declare the final results of the elections and resulted in a change in government. Had the Mingo declarations been used, there might have been a re-election.
The national recount also found a series of anomalies in other parts of Region Four, which the APNU+AFC intends to use for its election petition case, since the coalition believes the anomalies were enough to change the outcome of the elections.
Despite his name being thrust into the spotlight and him being highlighted in the various observers reports, Mingo has remained silent.
With his arrest today, he is expected to be questioned about the alleged fraud in the 2020 elections.
The new government has already indicated that it intends to set up a Commission of Inquiry to examine the 2020 elections.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login