Charles Ramson Jr., an attorney who was a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) candidate in the March 2020 elections, testified in the ongoing trial into attempts to derail the 2020 elections on Thursday.
He gave sworn testimony before Magistrate Faith McGusty who is presiding over the trial at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Ramson testified that on March 3, 2020 he was taken to Ashmins Building, which was the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Command Center, by another PPP/C representative Majeed Hussain. There, Ramson was introduced to the Returning Officer for District Four Clairmont Mingo.
During the interaction, he said they discussed the electoral process and Mingo indicated that a spreadsheet would be used during the verification of votes cast in District Four.
From March 2 to March 5, Ramson said he remained at the Ashmins Building, which also served as the office of the Returning Officer, to participate in the verification process. He said he only left the premises to take a short nap and shower on few occasions.
While there, he observed the presence of representatives of political parties, observers, and members of the diplomatic corps. He stated that the verification exercise, which commenced around 02:00hrs on March 3, was never completed.
On March 5, around 13:00hrs, Ramson testified that he saw Mingo standing on a platform on a stairway, surrounded by GECOM officers and police. Mingo was reportedly attempting to declare inaccurate results that were in favour of the APNU+AFC Coalition.
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“There were persons shouting, ‘No, stop it, you are trying to thief the elections,” Ramson recalled.
After about five minutes, he recalled, that Mingo went back upstairs into a room. Ramson did not see him again until much later. Shortly after, Ramson said a gentleman named Joseph Eastman entered the room and announced that a declaration had been made for District Four, forcing observers to leave.
“I, along with other persons, made our objections, but what I saw shortly thereafter was what purported to be a declaration for District Four circulating on social media.
“I know that the verification exercise was not completed. I also know what the law says…so if that had not been done, then a declaration cannot be made,” Ramson told the court.
To safeguard the electoral process, Ramson told the court that he prepared a letter requesting a recount.
“I am aware that the law requires that you should submit a letter requesting a recount as the counting agent. The noon of the following day is up to the time that you have,” he said. Ramson related that he signed the letter and attempted to deliver it to Mingo on the second floor of the Ashmins Building, but found the office locked and the handles removed. Despite repeatedly rapping and pushing on the doors over an hour, he said nobody responded.
He added that he also tried to deliver the letter to the GECOM Chair, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh office but faced the same obstacle.
Ramson then told the court that medical personnel arrived at the second floor about two hours later, also unsuccessfully attempting to gain entry for about 20 minutes. He recalled several persons expressed concerns about the wellbeing of the GECOM Chair, banging on doors until eventually one was opened. Ramson said there were many Police Officers present, but they did not assist despite concerns being raised about the Chair’s safety.
Around 18:00hrs, Ramson said he saw Mingo being quickly escorted out of the building by police.
“Even though I was calling for him and moving in that direction, he was trying to get out of the building very quickly,” Ramson said.
Subsequently, he said Police allowed him to enter the building to deliver the letter. He was escorted to the back of the building where he met former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers, who informed him that Mingo was not present but his clerk would receive the letter.
Ramson was then introduced to Michelle Miller, one of the defendants in the case. After he handed over the letter, she reportedly logged the information in a book with the time recorded as 11:53 hrs. Both Ramson and Miller signed the record before he was escorted out by Myers.
Ramson also recounted presenting these events to police at Eve Leary on August 28, 2020, in the presence of Mingo, who did not respond.
Nine individuals are currently before the court, charged with conspiring to manipulate the election results in favour of APNU+AFC in an attempt to deny victory to the PPP. Those charged include former government minister Volda Lawrence, Lowenfield, Mingo, and Myers, among others.
The trial continues on Friday.
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