THE case against soca star Machel Montano is beginning to wind down with just one more witness scheduled to give evidence and another to be recalled for cross-examination.

Yesterday acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Carla Brown-Antoine told Magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor that the State had only one more witness to call. Brown-Antoine added that the witness, the arresting officer, Cpl Sewdass of the Belmont Police Station was on sick leave and is unlikely to be on active duty for the next six weeks.

The Express learnt that Sewdass underwent major surgery recently and would not have been in a position to testify on Monday which was originally agreed on the adjourned date. The matter instead was put off to March 13, after the upcoming Carnival period where Montano and his co-accused are expected to perform at several fetes.

Yesterday two witnesses testified, the first was Dr Rayaa Hosein, of the Port of Spain General Hospital attached to Accident and Emergency Department. Hosein told the court he examined Russell Pollonais around 3.25 a.m. on April 26, 2007 and he was fully conscious when he was examined.

This was contradicted by the State’s other witness, PC Duffrin Campbell, who said Hosein told him Pollonais was unconscious when he (Campbell) wanted to interview him.

Hosein added that he also examined Gerard Bowrin and revealed to the court that he found ’no detectable injuries’ on him.

Hosein said Pollonais had a scalp laceration behind his left ear and had multiple facial bruises. He noted that he smelled alcohol on the breath of Pollonais as well. Hosein told the court a neurological exam was also done on Pollonais and the results showed his nervous system was normal. Hosein added that Pollonais was drowsy, but oriented as his Glasgow Coma Scale (a test done to determine a patient’s level of consciousness) tests showed he was normal. A CAT (CT) Scan was also ordered to be done on Pollonais, but Hosein said he did not get the results.

During cross-examination by both defence attorneys Dana Seetahal SC, who is representing Montano and John Heath, who is representing Rodney ’Benjai’ Le Blanc, Campbell said he saw Brandis Browne with a cut above his right eye. Campbell said he forgot to put the word ’cut’ in one of the three statements that he gave in relation to the incident. This, he said, caused the statement to have an ’altered meaning’.

When questioned by Seetahal, Campbell confessed it was the first time he had given evidence in court in the 11 years since he has been a police officer and he did not review his statement before giving evidence after she pointed out to him some inconsistencies in his evidence and his statements. Campbell admitted ain none of the statements he mentioned that he had seen a cut above the eye of Browne or that Pollonais was unconscious.

Campbell is expected to be re-called to be cross-examined by Keith Scotland, who represents, Kernel Roberts, son of the late master calypsonian Lord Kitchener.

Montano, Roberts, Joel ’Zan’ Fezeck and Le Blanc are accused of assaulting Pollonais and Browne on April 26, 2007, outside the Zen nightclub at Keate Street, Port of Spain. Montano faces an additional charge of using obscene language.