Georgetown: Police on Saturday arrested Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in connection with allegations of criminal conduct relating to the March 2 elections.
Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield along with others are being investigated for criminal conduct in the aftermath of the March 2, 2020 elections incidents.
“As a consequence, on September 26, 2020, at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, Police investigators arrested Mr. Lowenfield and put several allegations to him in the presence of his Attorney. After being told of the allegations, Mr. Lowenfield exercised his right to remain silent,” police said.
Thereafter, police said a confrontation was held between him and a witness and once again Mr. Lowenfield opted to remain silent.
Having concluded other aspects of the investigative process, Lowenfield was released on station bail on the condition that he reports to the CID Headquarters on September 28, 2020.
The Police are continuing their investigations.
Lowenfield, is on $450,000 bail after he was placed before the court for alleged fraud and misconduct. The trial is expected to start on October 26.
The charges in question were filed by Desmond Morian, and Daniel Kanhai, on June 30, 2020.
In his private criminal charge, Kanhai is alleging that Lowenfield, between March 5 and June 23, 2020, at Georgetown, in the Georgetown Magisterial District, County of Demerara, State of Guyana, conspired with person(s) unknown to commit the common law offence of fraud, to wit, by representing to the Guyana Elections Commission, that tables attached to his Election Report, dated June 23, 2020, accurately reflected the true results of the said election, in order to materially alter the results of the said election, with intent to defraud, knowing the said tabulation to be false.
Morian is also alleging that Lowenfield, between March 5, 2020, and June 29, 2020, while performing his duty as the chief elections officer of GECOM, without lawful excuse or justification, wilfully misconducted himself at Georgetown, within the Georgetown Magisterial District, by ascertaining results of the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections for Guyana, knowing the said results to be false. The said wilful misconduct amounting to a breach of the public’s trust in the office of the chief elections officer of the Guyana Elections Commission.
The second charge which was filed by Morian against Lowenfield claimed that he, allegedly, with Region Four District Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, altered results that had been declared in March for that district.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has launched a ‘comprehensive’ investigation against the Chief Elections Officer and the Returning Officer for Region Four Clairmont Mingo after it received formal reports of alleged criminal misconduct by the duo.
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