CAMILLA, Ga. (WALB) - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has finished its investigation into election interference in Camilla.

According to a release, South Georgia Circuit District Attorney Joseph K. Mulholland requested the GBI investigate allegations of election interference for the City of Camilla’s municipal election held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

Residents in the city of Camilla are now calling for justice in the indictment of Mayor Kelvin Owens, Cheryl Ford and Rhunette Williford saying that they were wrongfully indicted. Some residents said it used to be innocent until proven guilty but, in this case, they believe it’s guilty until proven innocent.

“We support Mayor Owens, and we support the city manager, Cheryl Ford, and we support our superintendent, Rhunette Williford, and this too shall pass.”

Owens, Ford and Williford have collectively been indicted on six counts of “interference with elections,” four counts of conspiracy to commit election fraud and three counts of failure of public or political officer to perform duty.

This comes after the GBI began an investigation into Mayor Kelvin Owens locking the doors on Election Day — November 5, 2024 — causing voting to start in the afternoon.

This comes after a grand jury found that Owens, Ford and Williford conspired to quote, “prevent elections from occurring on November 5, 2024, contrary to the laws of said State, the good order, peace and dignity thereof.”

“My husband and I were literally locked out of City Hall. We should be able to walk up on Election Day and be able to vote without any hindrance,” one resident said.

“The mayor had a paper up there saying that there was no one there qualified to run the election since they had removed Cheryl Ford and Rhunette Brown, so they don’t know what will become of elections on Election Day,” another resident added.

The indictment says Kelvin Owens did instruct officers to prevent anyone from entering.

The indictment went on to say that Cherly Ford’s decision to resign the day before was to stop voters from voting.

The document also said Rhunette Williford willfully attempted to defraud electors and voters.

A source close to the investigation said that all three parties involved have been arrested. We are still waiting on confirmation from the GBI.

The GBI said the investigation has been completed, and the investigative file was given to the District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecutorial divisions on Friday, May 23.

On Wednesday, May 28, the DA’s office presented the case to a Mitchell County Grand jury.

WALB has reached out to the DA’s office and is waiting to hear back.

Read the full indictment here:

RELATED COVERAGE:

• Camilla special election voting canceled after election superintendents resign
• Camilla mayor speaks to WALB following special election results
• Ga. Supreme Court issues new order in Camilla election case
• GBI investigating allegations of election interference in Camilla

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