Proceedings in the elections fraud trial resumed on Tuesday, with the continuation of the cross examination of former The New Movement (TNM) candidate, Dr. Josh Kanhai, and a challenge from the defense to the admissibility of a video of a police interrogation of co-defendant Denise Babb-Cummings.
Dr. Kanhai was cross examined by defense attorney Ronald Daniels, who questioned him about the source and authentication of several letters he was in receipt of pertaining to communication between former Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield and Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairperson, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh, in 2020.
Kanhai was also questioned about his departure from TNM and support for the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) in the 2025 elections.
“I’m not aware of the business of The New Movement as I would have left… due to personal issues with someone who proclaimed to be the leader of TNM. I’m a member of the URP and endorsed the PPPC for the 2025 elections. I campaigned proudly with the PPPC for the 2025 elections,” Dr. Kanhai noted.
Dr. Kanhai currently works at the Ministry of Local Government (MOLG) where he is the Deputy Permanent Secretary.
Dr. Kanhai was the last witness to appear when the case was adjourned last month on September 27. In his previous testimony, Dr. Kanhai had recalled the challenge that ensued after the recount was completed on June 8, 2020, when Lowenfield, continued to refuse to prepare an elections results report for the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections (GRE using the correct numbers that were produced in the national recount of all 10 electoral districts. Instead, Lowenfield persisted in attempts to use the numbers previously produced during Mingo’s tabulation from Statement of Polls (SOPs).
Lowenfield is among nine individuals currently facing 19 charges of conspiracy to commit electoral fraud for the events that occurred following the March 2, 2020 GRE.
Other persons charged include Former Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers, former APNU+AFC Minister Volda Lawrence, APNU+AFC Chief Scrutineer, Carol Joseph and former GECOM employees Enrique Livan, Sheffern February, Michelle Miller and Denise Babb-Cummings.
The first witness of the morning on Tuesday was Police Officer Christopher Douglas, a police videographer who conducted a video interview of Babb-Cummings on August 31, 2020 at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). However, the admissibility of the video was challenge on the grounds that Babb-Cummings was interviewed in the absence of her attorney. The admissibility of the video would now be determined pending a voire dire.
The trial is scheduled to continue with an afternoon session.
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