Sergeant charged with perverting the course of justice gets bail

The police sergeant accused of giving inconsistent evidence in a court matter has been brought before the Magistrate’s Court where he was released on bail.

Charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice is Sergeant Marley Sebastien who has been a police officer for 18-and-a-half years and who was part of the Premier’s security detail.

According to the Prosecution, the accused cop was a witness in the matter of the Queen vs Pamphill Prevost and Simon Power; both of whom are interdicted police officers charged with theft and conspiracy to steal. Prevost and Power were first on trial in 2019. However, that trial resulted in a mistrial as the jury could not agree on the verdict. The retrial commenced on February 1, 2022.

Reluctant to testify a second time

Sergeant Sebastien testified on both those occasions but the Prosecution indicated today that Sebastien was initially reluctant to give evidence in the retrial.

The court heard that the prosecutor assigned to the Prevost and Power case received information that the defence counsel wanted the Crown to call Sebastien as a witness. The court was told that the Crown agreed and contact was made with Sebastien who then gave a signed statement.

It was said that prior to taking the stand when the accused came to court on February 22, he told the prosecuting attorney that he did not feel comfortable with the statement he gave. The court was told that Sebastien said he was not going to give evidence according to that statement.

The Crown then said that the transcript from the first time the accused gave evidence back in 2019 showed he was sworn in and in the cross-examination, he stated the evidence he gave was accurate.