Man freed of killing sweetheart’s baby

The 27-year-old Sergeant of Ravine Road, Petit Valley, jumped and shouted for joy as he left the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain.

"I am sorry Hakim. I still love you," said Alicia Browne, after retracting certain aspects of her evidence. In her retracted version she implicated two police officers and one of her cousins as being responsible for her lies against her boyfriend.

She said when she told the police the truth, they insisted that she "stick to what you said already." She said the police had also scared her by telling her that Sergeant was accusing her of killing Tyrese.

Defence attorney Evans Welch, instructed by Brent Ali, wanted the court to take action against the police officers, but Justice Devan Rampersad pointed out that Browne’s entire testimony, especially concerning the policemen, was unreliable.

According to her revised version, Browne herself could have been responsible for the injuries sustained by her son on the night of November 28, 2002, and not Sergeant. Before going to meet Sergeant at the nearby St Joseph Boys RC School, she was combing Tyrese’s hair when he fell off a double-decker bed. While walking towards the school to meet Sergeant, the baby was having difficulty breathing and was vomiting.

She said Sergeant put her and the baby in a car and sent them to the hospital, but she thought the baby had died on the way and delayed the trip to the hospital. She eventually went to the hospital, but the baby died about a week later on December 4, 2002.

Browne, 27, of St Joseph, told a touching story about her life with relatives and why she had initially lied. One reason she gave was that her cousin, Charmaine, had scared her into believing that she was a reckless mother who could go to jail over the baby’s fall. She said it was Charmaine who told her to say that the child fell with Sergeant. She said that Charmaine and other relatives did not like Sergeant.

Browne became pregnant for Sergeant and during his three years in jail, she gave birth to a girl who is now two years old.

After hearing Browne’s testimony under cross-examination by Welch, State prosecutor Kathy Ann Waterman, assisted by Shoba Jamuna, indicated to the court that they would not offer additional evidence in the case.

Rampersad instructed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty, after which he told Sergeant, "you are free to go."

Sergeant jumped for joy and shouted as he walked out the Hall of Justice. He was greeted by his two sisters, Keda and Natifa, who also jumped on him. His mother Karen and father were also there to greet him. Sergeant then turned to Browne and embraced her, exchanged a few words, and then kissed her.

Asked about his future relationship with Browne now that he was freed, his response was "time alone will tell."

Sergeant and his relatives walked through Woodford Square still shouting for joy.