Roches-Noires Case: Rakesh Gooljaury testifies

The trial of the former Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolan and the two former Senior Police Officers in the Roches-Noires case resumed at the Intermediate Court on Thursday. The session was marked by the testimony of the prosecution’s key witness, Rakesh Gooljaury. Following a question from lawyer Gavin Glover that referred to press cuttings relating to articles that ‘his friend [namely Navin Ramgoolam] would be in trouble’, Rakesh Gooljaury replied that the former Prime Minister is still his ‘good friend’. This statement has somewhat surprised those present in court as the relations between Rakesh Gooljaury and Navin Ramgoolam are no longer good since the legislative elections in December 2014.

When questioned by prosecution attorney Mohana Naidoo, the businessman provided details of the events that took place in the former Prime Minister’s bungalow at Roches-Noires. “Around 8 pm, Nandanee Soornack arrived with her daughter, her son-in-law and Dass Chetty. We left at about 11 pm. The former Prime Minister and Nandanee Soornack stayed (at the bungalow). I received a call from Nandanee Soornack who was talking to me in a trembling voice. She explained that there was a problem with the bungalow and asked if I could come. I arrived there around 2 in the morning. According to Nandanee Soornack, a twenty-year-old stranger, bare-chested, was peeping at them from the window while they had intimate relationships. The young man then entered the room and Nandanee Soornack took a screwdriver to defend herself when Dr Navin Ramgoolam intervened. The individual threatened them and Nandanee Soornack rushed to retrieve a sum of Rs 20,000 in another room. She gave the money to the unknown man who fled through the same window. Furious, she called the Brinks security guards who were at the entrance to the bungalow. Then the two senior police officers came to decide whether the case should be reported to the police,” said Rakesh Gooljaury.