A site visit to the former GECOM Command Centre at Ashmins Building, a key location in the ongoing 2020 election fraud case, is set to proceed on Wednesday under strict conditions laid down by the court.
Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty has ruled that while journalists will be permitted to witness and record the arrival and departure of participants, no video recording or filming will be allowed inside the premises.
The decision was made following a request submitted by members of the media through the Supreme Court of Judicature, seeking permission to film the evidentiary visit. The request came after the court announced earlier this week that the parties would visit the location on Wednesday to contextualise elements of the 2020 elections tabulation process, which is at the heart of the charges.
Rather than ruling unilaterally, the magistrate sought input from both the prosecution and defence on the issue.
Lead prosecutor, King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani, raised no objections, noting the importance of public trials. However, defence attorney Eusi Anderson, who represents multiple defendants, voiced concern that full media access could jeopardise the fairness of proceedings.
He proposed a middle ground, allowing journalists to capture the general comings and goings at the site, but not the more sensitive parts of the visit, especially those that could risk attorney-client confidentiality or create a spectacle of any disagreements among the parties.
Anderson argued that interactions during the site visit could be misrepresented if broadcasted or captured out of context, stressing the need to preserve the solemnity of the process. He further warned that even body language and nonverbal exchanges between legal representatives and clients might be picked up on camera, potentially undermining the legal rights of the accused.
In response, Ramdhani echoed the broader principle of transparency and suggested that live broadcasts of court proceedings could benefit Guyana’s justice system in the long run.
He referenced the outdated nature of court processes, which were designed before modern media technology became widespread, but emphasised that the original intent was always to ensure openness and public scrutiny. Magistrate McGusty, while agreeing in principle, maintained that certain aspects of court proceedings must remain private due to their sensitive nature.
The site visit is scheduled to commence at 9:30h, beginning at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before moving to the Ashmins Building. Apart from the magistrate, only lawyers, the nine defendants, and witnesses who have already testified will be allowed to participate.
Those who have already taken the witness stand include Minister of Local Government Sonia Parag, Head of the Diaspora Unit Rosalinda Rasul, ANUG executive Kian Jabour, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Edgar Thomas. During the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections, Parag served as a PPP/C agent, Rasul was an observer with the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), Jabour represented ANUG as an agent, and Thomas was Commander of Police Division 4 ‘A’.
The defendants are all linked to the tabulation process at the Ashmins Building and include several high-profile figures: PNC/R member Carol Smith-Joseph; former APNU+AFC Minister of Health Volda Lawrence; former GECOM Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield; former Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers; and former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo. GECOM staffers Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Babb-Cummings, and Michelle Miller are also facing charges.
They are collectively facing 19 counts of conspiracy to commit electoral fraud, all of which they have denied. They remain on bail pending the outcome of the trial.
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