Lowenfield and Mingo choose to remain silent in appearance before Elections COI

Former Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield and former Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo appeared before the Elections Commission of Inquiry (COI) today and invoked their right to remain silent.

The embattled officials who are currently facing criminal charges in the Magistrates’ Court in relation to allegations of electoral fraud, were summoned before the Commission of Inquiry.

In complying with the summons, the two appeared with their Attorney Nigel Hughes.

Mr. Hughes told the Commission that his clients are defendants in a number of criminal proceedings relating to the 2020 Elections, and would therefore invoke their right to remain silent.

The two took to the witness box minutes after each other and invoked the same right to remain silent.

“Mr Chairman I will remain silent,” Mr Lowenfield told the three-member Commission. Mingo upon taking the stand also indicated his desire to remain silent.

Senior Superintendent of the Police Phillip Azore, who was appointed to act as Region Four Regional Commander in March 2020 after pandemonium broke out at the Guyana Elections Commission’s Command Centre during the tabulation of votes, also exercised his right to remain silent when he appeared before the Commission today.

“At this moment I would reserve my right to remain silent,” he told the Commission.

Yesterday, Opposition Members of Parliament Volda Lawrence and Dr. Karen Cummings along with Opposition Chief Scrutineer, Carol Smith-Jospeh all appeared before the Commission and exercised their right to remain silent.

Lawrence and Smith-Joseph were also represented by Attorney Hughes.

Late last year, a number of GECOM officials also refused to give testimony at the Commission.