Region Four Returning Officer arrested in connection with electoral fraud; lawyer blocked from seeing client

Last Updated on Tuesday, 25 August 2020, 19:07 by Denis Chabrol

Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo was arrested Tuesday afternoon at his  house at Mahaicony,  his Attorney-at-Law Darren Wade said.

He was arrested shortly after 3 PM at his residence at Calcutta, Mahaicony.

Mr. Wade has vehemently protested the refusal by police to see his client, saying it amounted to a breach of his fundamental rights.

The lawyer said initially, police told him that Mr. Mingo was not there but a police officer subsequently informed him that he was upstairs.

Mr. Mingo was escorted by police to the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters at Eve Leary in connection with alleged electoral fraud.

Another lawyer familiar with the case said there was no need for an arrest warrant as the offences that Mr. Mingo is accused of are well-known in the public.

Mr. Mingo was not served with any summons as the court was again told on Monday that the bailiffs could not locate him.

He is accused of conspiring with the Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield and People’s National Congress Reform Chairman Volda Lawrence to commit fraud.

The court on Monday heard that she allegedly procured Mr Mingo to submit a form containing fraudulent results on March 5.

The court was told on Monday that the Director of Public Prosecutions would be taking over the private criminal charges against the trio.