Elections Trial: High Court Registrar testifies on safekeeping of SOPs, SORs

The ongoing trial into the March 2020 elections resumed Wednesday with Registrar of the High Court Sueanna Lovell making her first appearance as a witness in the high-profile matter.

Lovell served as a gatekeeper of Statements of Poll (SOPs) and Statements of Recount (SORs) over the past years.

The documents, packed in five cardboard boxes were brought to Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning.

During her testimony, Lovell explained that the transfer of the documents from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to the High Court was ordered by then acting Chief Justice Roxane George to ensure their safekeeping.

The Registrar said the documents were then escorted to the High Court in the presence of GECOM Chairperson Claudette Singh and former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield.

“We went through a verification process of what exactly was being handed over to me by checking all of the documents, as they were handed over records were created which detailed what the documents were that I was receiving and once I would have verified all of those particulars I signed as receiving and Mr Lowenfield affix his signature as the person handing over,” Lovell told the court.

Upon completing the process, Lovell said she signed the records after satisfying herself that all the documents matched what was listed.

“I signed the document because I was satisfied with what I was receiving was what was in the record, they corresponded,” she said.

Lovell further explained that after receiving the election documents, they were secured in two fireproof cabinets located in her office.

“After receiving documents I secured them in two fire safe cabinets that had been procured for that purpose and that were in my office. Those cabinets are secured by combination locks as well as keys. After I secured the documents into those cabinets I locked them with the keys and the combination and I am the only person who has the combination to those locks and who has possession of the keys since that time,” she explained to the court.

The court also heard that on May 28, 2021, Justice George issued an order compelling the Registrar to make copies of the SOPs and SORs and hand them over to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Guyana Police Force.

“As a result of that I caused some copies to be made in my secretariat, by my office under my supervision,” Lovell testified.

According to the Registrar, police officers visited her office the following day where a verification exercise was carried out by comparing the originals to the photocopies before the copies were officially handed over to investigators.

 

The arrangement, the court heard, was intended to ensure the secure preservation of the electoral documents.

Lovell is expected to continue her testimony on Friday as she will be out of the jurisdiction on Thursday. The trail was adjourned to Thursday, May 21.

Nine individuals are currently before the court charged with conspiring to manipulate the election results in favour of APNU+AFC, allegedly in an attempt to deny victory to the PPP.

Those charged include former government minister Volda Lawrence, Lowenfield, former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, and former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers, among others.

The controversy surrounding the March 2020 elections delayed the declaration of results for five months, until PPP candidate Irfaan Ali was sworn in as President on August 2, 2020.

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