The Privy Council has denied TN Ramnauth and Company Ltd, its principal Taradauth Ramnauth, Kall Co Ltd, Mootilal Ramhit and Sons Contracting Ltd, and Fides Ltd permission to appeal a Court of Appeal decision.
This decision dismissed their applications to strike out Estate Management Business Development Company Limited’s (EMBD) case or compel EMBD to provide further particulars. The Privy Council’s order, dated October 8, 2024, stated that the appeal did not present an arguable point of law or public importance.
EMBD’s case involves allegations of unlawful means conspiracy, bribery, knowing receipt, dishonest assistance, and breach of fiduciary duty related to 12 civil works contracts awarded shortly before the 2015 General Election, a release from the Ministry of Attorney General stated on Tuesday.
It stated that in 2017, EMBD filed claims against several parties, including Fides Ltd and Dr Roodal Moonilal, a current Member of Parliament. The case also includes counterclaims from TN Ramnauth and others for monies allegedly owed under these contracts.
With the Privy Council’s decision, EMBD’s case, seeking to recover approximately $275 million and declare the contracts void for illegality, will proceed to trial before Justice Seepersad. The defendants, including Dr Moonilal, must file their defences by November 6, 2024, after delaying for nearly seven years.
This decision aligns with previous rulings by lower courts, including those by Justice James Aboud in August 2020 and the Court of Appeal in January 2024, both of which dismissed the appellants’ attempts to halt the trial, the release stated.
