Fired for talking to Dole Chadee

According to the consent order agreed upon on Tuesday, Ramesh Rajhoo’s record in the Defence Force is to read that he was "honourably discharged." The State has agreed to pay damages to be assessed by the High Court. The order set aside the decision to discharge him from the Regiment.

The question of Rajhoo being reinstated by the Defence Force did not arise. However, the State is to pay his legal costs. The consent order was approved before Justice Mustapha Ibrahim in the Port-of-Spain Second Civil Court. Douglas Mendes SC and Anthony Bullock represented Rajhoo.

Rajhoo was enlisted in the Defence Force on September 5, 1981, as a private on a three-year contract. The contract was renewed and, in 1989, he joined the Special Operations Group as an operator.

On May 20, 1994, Rajhoo reported to his unit commander, then Captain Ricky Garcia, where he was informed that he was required to undergo a medical examination and be present for commanding officer orders in preparation for his discharge on May 24, 1994.

Rajhoo required of Garcia the reason for his discharge and was informed that undisclosed persons in the Defence Force had a recording of a telephone conversation between Dole Chadee and himself. Rajhoo denied that he had a conversation with Chadee, and was quite shocked at the allegation since as a member of the Special Operations Group, he was aware and was required to covertly monitor members of Chadee’s association, and was therefore aware that a conversation with Chadee would be monitored.

At that time, Chadee was in police custody having been arrested and charged days earlier for the murder of four members of the Baboolal family in Williamsville on January 10, 1994.

Rajhoo asked if anything was done to verify that the voice on the tape was his. He offered to undergo a lie detector test and to have the tape subjected to forensic tests, but all these were denied. Rajhoo met then Major Peter Joseph who repeated to him that the Defence Force had obtained a taped telephone conversation between Chadee and himself. Rajhoo again denied the allegation.

He then asked to see Chief of Defence Staff Major General Ralph Brown, but was unable to do so.

Rajhoo received a letter on May 24, 1994, stating that his services were no longer required. He appealed to the Defence Council against the decision to dismiss him. The council, at a meeting dated November 25, 1994, dismissed the appeal without hearing Rajhoo, and decided that he was not to be reinstated.

Rajhoo pursued his case and on February 19, 2003, the Defence Council again dismissed his appeal.