Nascimento says unable to testify before elections inquiry because of Granger case
Communications Specialist, Kit Nascimento, has informed the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the March 2020 General and Regional Elections that he will not be able testify in the public hearings as he is a defendant in a related case before the court
Nascimento, who served as an Elections Observer on behalf of the Private Sector, was invited by the Commission to testify. Providing a reason for his unavailability, Nascimento cited the libel matter brought against him and several media houses by former President David Granger. He told Stabroek News that testifying in the CoI could compromise the court case depending on the kind of examination he will face when on the witness stand. Nascimento said he regrets not being able to voluntarily testify in the Inquiry as he believe the evidence he could have provided would have aided in the objectives of the CoI.
Former President, David Granger, filed a $2.6 billion lawsuit against dailies—Stabroek News, Kaieteur News and Guyana Times, which he said all besmirched his character through the publication of letters written by Nascimento. In his action, Granger said that Nascimento accuses him of attempting to defy the will of the people in the March 2nd, 2020 Elections.
Before the CoI started on November 3, the Government had invited persons who wished to give evidence to contact the Secretary of the Commission. A number of witnesses have already testified before the CoI, including Chief Election Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Edgar Thomas; local activist, Jonathan Yearwood; Deputy Speaker and Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lenox Shuman; and Information Technology (IT) manager of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Aneal Giddings.