Greenland resident and Dominica native, Marley Sebastien, who was also part of former Premier Andrew A. Fahie's security detail, has been freed of the charges of Perjury and Perverting the Course of Justice. Photo: Team of Reporters

It was yet another loss for the Office of the DPP and Mr Sandip Patel, KC, who was hired by the DPP to prosecute a number of high-profile cases but has seen little success. Photo: 33 Bedford Row

Mr Marley Sebastien was represented by Valston M. Graham (in photo), a former Director of Public Prosecutions with the Government of St Kitts and Nevis and a former Senior Crown Counsel with the Government of the Virgin Islands. Photo: Facebook/File

A preliminary trial was held, and the case was thrown out of the courts when Sebastien appeared before Magistrate Khadeen Palmer on March 3, 2022; however, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) reinstituted the charges in the High Court.

Not Guilty!

When the case was called today, March 18, 2026, Sebastien’s lawyer, Valston M. Graham, a former Director of Public Prosecutions with the Government of St Kitts and Nevis and a former Senior Crown Counsel with the Government of the Virgin Islands, told the judge that Mr Sebastien had no case to answer.

After the summation by the King’s Counsel, Sandip Patel, Justice Akilah Anderson directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict.

Following the verdict, Mr Sebastien could not hold back his tears.

VI taxpayers under pressure

It was yet another loss for the Office of the DPP and Mr Patel, who was hired by the DPP to prosecute a number of high-profile cases but has seen little success.

Some of the cases Mr Patel has prosecuted included those against Honourable Myron V. Walwyn (R6), Lorna Stevens, Wade N. Smith, Pamphil Prevost, Simon Powers, and Najan Christopher.

Many critics have accused the Office of the DPP of using the law as a weapon against people who speak out for justice and do not go along with some of the inconsistencies of the governor.

It is important to note that the accused Virgin Islanders cannot bring a class action lawsuit against the UK police officers, the governor or any Commission of Inquiry (CoI) official as they have been immune from prosecution by the UK parliament.

This means taxpayers will have to absorb millions of dollars in lawsuits from these cases, which many have labelled as “bogus”.