Mingo released on self-bail

EMBATTLED Region Four Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo was on Friday released on self-bail for uttering a forged document to defraud the public in relation to the March 2, 2020 elections, while hearing into the matter has been adjourned until November 16.

Mingo, 69, of Calcutta, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, and was not required to plead to the charge, which alleges that he, having been ‘procured’ by former government minister Ms. Volda Lawrence, on or about March 5, 2020, at Hadfield and High Streets, Georgetown, uttered to the Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, a Form 24 Representation of the People Act Regional Elections Election Return, dated March 5, 2020, knowing same to be forged, with intent to defraud the people of the State of Guyana.
Mingo is charged jointly with former government Minister and chairperson of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Ms. Volda Lawrence.

He is represented by Attorneys-at-law Nigel Hughes, Ronald Daniels and Darren Wade, and Ms. Lawrence by Mr. Hughes and Attorney-at-Law, Mr. James Bond.
The charges against the pair allege that they colluded to forge the Form 24 document, in that Lawrence’s signature was affixed to the said document, which had shown a win for the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC).
On August 25, Lawrence had appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was released on $100,000 bail.

Back in March, the present Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Mr. Charles Ramson Jr., filed criminal charges, contending that Mingo and Lawrence had uttered a forged document with the intent of defrauding the public, contrary to Section 278 of the Criminal Law Offences Act Chapter 8:01.
Particulars of those charges state that Mingo, having been ‘procured’ by Lawrence, on or about March 5, 2020, at Hadfield and High Streets, Georgetown, uttered to the Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, a Form 24 Representation of the People Act Regional Elections Election Return, dated March 5, 2020, knowing same to be forged, with intent to defraud the people of the State of Guyana.

It is also alleged that in the course of Mingo and Lawrence colluding to forge the Form 24 document, the latter’s signature was affixed to the said document, which had shown a win for the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC).

However, when the PPP/C counted from the SOPs in its possession, it proved otherwise, causing both international and local observers to deem the tally done by Mingo et al not credible, and a recount eventually being done which declared the PPP/C the winner.

Last month, Mingo had appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the said Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on four electoral fraud charges, which were again allegedly committed during the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections, and was released on $600, 000 bail.
The first two charges against him allege that on March 5, 2020, at High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown, while being a public officer, he willfully misconducted himself by declaring a result for District Four, without ascertaining the total votes cast in favour of each list in the said District Four Regional and General Election.

The case against him is that he failed to add up the votes recorded in favour of each List, in accordance with the Statements of Poll, which, in the eyes of the Law, amounts to a breach of the public’s trust… without any reasonable excuse or justification.
The last two charges against him allege that Mingo again committed the same offences, this time round on March 13, 2020, at the same GECOM High and Cowan Streets, Kingston Head Office, when he wilfully misconducted himself by declaring a result for District Four in the Regional Election of the said March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.