A POLICEMAN was remanded to prison yesterday, on a joint charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to the Panday robbery case.

Police Constable Odel Percival, 33, of Lot 482 Number One Road, Corentyne, Berbice, was before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry but she recused herself from the proceedings because a prosecutor from her court is also involved in the matter.
The Chief Magistrate transferred the case to Magistrate Judy Latchman in front of whom the defendant pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Particulars of the allegation against him said, on July 5, 2012, Percival willfully attempted to pervert the course of justice by contacting Constable 19911 Liverpool, who is a witness in a criminal matter and offered him $100,000 so that the latter would give contrary evidence in the case of police versus Jermaine Mitchell and others for robbery under arms.
Police Sergeant Lionel Harvey was also charged but he was not present when the case was called.
Police Inspector Burgette Grant, prosecuting, requested that an arrest warrant be issued for Harvey, disclosing that he has absented himself from the GFP without leave.

WARRANT
The magistrate inquired if Harvey knew he had to be present in court and, when the prosecutor responded in the negative, she was told a warrant cannot be issued since the witness was not warned to attend.
However, the magistrate said she would issue a summons to command Harvey’s attendance.
The prosecutor, in her narrative, said Percival and Harvey contacted Liverpool and offered him $100,000 to give contrary evidence in the Panday robbery case involving Mitchell and others.
The prosecutor said, while the matter was being investigated, Harvey, who was the prosecutor in the Chief Magistrate’s Court, was absent from duty without leave but Percival was arrested.
The prosecutor offered no objection to bail for Percival but requested an adjournment to seek advice.
Defence Counsel Basil Williams made an application for reasonable bail, pointing out that Percival has been in the GPF for 13 years and has an unblemished record.
The lawyer said the defendant made his court appearance voluntarily and intends to vigorously defend his name.
When the magistrate refused bail for the defendant, Williams seemed surprised and questioned the refusal.
The magistrate said she is overruling the prosecutor’s no objection and postponed the case to March 13.
On July 12, 2011, at Bel Air, Chandrada Rampersaud, Hardat Kumar, Jermaine Mitchell, Aubrey Simon, Rayon Jones and Rabindra Seemangal allegedly robbed businessman Malcolm Panday and his wife, Annie Ramsood of $7.4M.
Seemangal pleaded guilty to the crime on September 11, 2012 and was sentenced to eight years imprisonment. The trial of Rampersaud, Kumar, Mitchell, Simon and Jones is continuing.