Moments after Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield was slapped with three private criminal fraud charges, one of his lawyers, Nigel Hughes told the media that State prosecutors have signaled their intention of calling Senior Counsel Neil Boston as a witness.
But, Hughes disclosed he objected to this as the Senior Counsel is one of Lowenfield’s lawyers in the matter. According to him, moments before the case was called, Attorney-at-law Glen Hanoman, who is representing the prosecution related this to him and his colleague.
Boston is already on record as one of Lowenfield’s lawyers. Hughes said that during this morning’s court hearing, Hanoman objected to Boston defending Lowenfield and told the court that he intends to call him as a State witness.
Hughes stated that he made strenuous objections. In fact, he said,” Normally what we would do is have statements from your witnesses long in advance and they (Hanonman) should have at least had the courtesy of contacting him beforehand.”
Hughes further stressed that Hanoman is attempting to have Boston off the case to gain some level of mileage. ”Maybe Hanoman has forgotten that the privilege that Lowenfield enjoys as a client of Boston is his and if Lowenfield does not release Boston there is nowhere he can possibly be a witness for the State,” Hughes added.
Lowenfield has submitted to the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (retired) Claudette Singh a table showing what he deems to be “valid and credible votes cast” in the March 2 General and Regional Elections.
In a letter seen by this publication, Lowenfield said that he has taken note of the guidance of the Court of Appeal in the case of Eslyn David v Chief Elections Officer et al in the preparation of his report pursuant to Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act and Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution of Guyana.
What the CEO deems as “valid and credible votes cast” places the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) party in 5,482 lead against its nearest political rival, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
The inflated figures were provided by Clairmont Mingo, the Returning Officer for Guyana’s largest voting district- Region 4. The national recount proved that Mingo inflated votes in favour of the Coalition and it was the PPP that actually won the March 2 elections by over 15,000 votes.
