PNCR Chair Volda Lawrence was yesterday placed on $100,000 bail after appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennon on private criminal charges including conspiring to forge documents to show a win for APNU+AFC at the March 2nd general elections.
The charges were filed on March 13 by Charles Ramson Jr against Lawrence and District Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo in relation to the controversial results for District Four. Attempts to serve the notices on them had reportedly not succeeded.
Lawrence, the former Minister of Public Health, appeared yesterday before the Chief Magistrate without being served and was read the indictable charge. This was confirmed by Special Prosecutor Glenn Hanoman. He also said that Mingo is yet to make an appearance.
Mingo and Lawrence are accused of uttering a forged document with intent to defraud the public contrary to Section 278 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act.
The section specifies that everyone who utters a document knowing it to be forged or altered, with intent to defraud the public…shall be guilty of a felony and liable to imprisonment for three years.
According to the particulars of the offence, “the accused Clairmont Mingo having been procured by the accused Volda Lawrence on or about March 5, 2020 at Hadfield Street, uttered to the Chief Elections Officer (Keith Lowenfield) a Form 24 Representation of the People Act dated March 5 knowing it to be forged, with intent to defraud the people of the state of Guyana.”
Lawrence was represented by attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes who made a bail application on her behalf. He highlighted to the court that Lawrence attended court of her own accord and that the court should take that into consideration for bail. He also requested that she be placed on self-bail.
Hanoman told this newspaper that the prosecution did not object to bail given that Lawrence attended court. He noted that the charges had been filed since March and that both accused were absent when the matter was first called.
Lawrence is expected to return to court on September 11th. Mingo is also expected to be served by then or attend court on his own on the date fixed.
Lowenfield, who is also before the court over electoral fraud and misconduct was also at court yesterday. His matter will be investigated by the police according to Hanoman. Lowenfield who is on $450,000 bail is also expected to attend court on September 11th. His private criminal charge has been taken over by the DPP’s Chambers.
Lawrence was greeted yesterday by a crowd of supporters notwithstanding COVID-19 social distancing requirements. Barricades were placed by police for the sake of crowd control in front of the courtyard. The crowd could be heard shouting “Free Volda” loudly while the matter was being heard and later cheered her on as she addressed the media.
Lawrence told the media that the charge is what she believes to be “a continuation of the circus that we will see under this regime…this is another set of trumped up charges, I know personally that I have committed no crime. I have done absolutely nothing of what I am accused of. I have been a citizen, from this morning when I heard this charge is filed, who has been in public all the time. As a matter of fact I worked until the Monday after the third of August. I left the Ministry of Public Health compound at 3.30 and at no time was any matter brought to the ministry to present to me. I also was provided with 24 hours security by the Govern-ment of Guyana at my residence at La Penitence. At no time anybody came there to file anything and so I believe that this is a continuation of the circus that we will see under this regime. And we have to brace ourselves and we have to be strong and we have to stand up and fear no foe…”, she said as she expressed thanks to her supporters.
