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 ruling dismissed their applications to strike out Estate Management and Business Development Company Limited’s (EMBD) case or compel EMBD to provide further details.
EMBD’s case involves claims of unlawful conspiracy, bribery, dishonest assistance, and breach of fiduciary duty related to 12 civil works contracts awarded shortly before the 2015 General Election. EMBD seeks to recover $275 million and declare the contracts void due to illegality.
The lawsuit also involves counterclaims from contractors seeking payment for work under these contracts, and it names former government minister Dr. Roodal Moonilal among the defendants.
Following the Privy Council’s decision, the case will proceed to trial under Mr. Justice Seepersad, with defendants, including Dr. Moonilal are now required to file their defences by November 6, 2024.
Previous efforts to stop the trial were rejected by the High Court in August 2020 and the Court of Appeal in January 2024.