‘Soldier’ tells of kidnapping for ransom

Balo Maharaj was kidnapped on April 6th, 2005. His dismembered body was later found in two containers in the Santa Cruz forest. Trin wants to know when we're going to start demanding the death penalty as punishment for scum like the criminals who abducted and murdered this innocent man. Below is one article from the Trinidad Guardian's series of articles covering the details of the Balram 'Balo' Maharaj kidnapping and murder.

Jason Percival was nicknamed Soldier. He spent three-and-a-half years in the T&T Regiment before he was dishonourably discharged in 1999. Ten years later, the self-confessed kidnapper, was the star witness for the US government against seven Trinidadians in Washington DC charged with taking US citizen Balram “Balo” Maharaj hostage, resulting in his death.

In fact, Percival admitted playing major roles in the kidnappings. He lived in San Fernando, but moved to Bourg Mulatresse in 2003. Percival, 36, was the main witness before Judge John Bates at the trial which ended on July 31 with guilty verdicts against the seven Trinidadians —Zion Clarke, Ricardo De Four, Kevon Demerieux, Anderson Straker, Wayne Pierre, Christopher Sealey and Kevin Nixon. They will be sentenced on February 12, 2010. The T&T Guardian got hold of the official transcripts of the proceedings of the trial. In his testimony, Percival told the court of his involvement in the kidnapping of Dexter Jagdeo, Robin Ramadar and Maharaj. Percival said he met Wayne Pierre at Bourg Mulatresse in 2003. “We became friends. We would drink together, we would go to strip clubs together.” He used to go to Pierre’s house at Grand Curacaye at least three to four times a week. During this time, he hung out with Demerieux, Clarke, Sealey and Russell “Saucy” Joseph. The following year, he met Winston Gittens. Percival said he met Ricardo De Four when he was in the army.

“I met him during the course of my army career around 1996. I did not hang out with him in the army, but in 2004, 2005, I was introduced to him by Ricardo Stephenson, my cousin, a corporal in the army,” he said. He said he knew that De Four carried a nine- millimetre handgun. He also met Sgt Leon Nurse three months before the Balram kidnapping. He also met Straker, whom he described as Gypsy’s son. When asked who Gypsy was, Percival said, “a minister in the UNC Government, UNC party.” The former soldier said he was involved in the plan on December 16, 2004, to kidnap Dexter Jagdeo. He said: “Individuals would present Jagdeo with a warrant, dressed in what appeared to be a police uniform and arrest him. The warrant was supposed to come from a police officer. The uniform came from Ricardo De Four. There was a meeting at Wayne Pierre’s house assembling everyone, which is Russel Joseph, Magga, myself, Zion and Niron. They had a .357 magnum and a 9 mm.

“After conducting surveillance, Magga got dressed in the police uniform, and they left in a white B15, and snatched Jagdeo from his home,” he said. “I dropped off at Mellow Moods bar. I went to the residence where Jagdeo was being held at Upper Santa Cruz.” Percival said ransom calls were made by Gittens, and the ransom was paid in a cemetery. The ransom was taken to Pierre’s house, where Pierre distributed it. Pierre later bought a Mazda 323 car. He said he also knew of the plan to kidnap Robin Ramadar on March 4, 2005. “I came to be involved in it through De Four and Nurse,” he said. They wanted ‘outsiders’, meaning people rolling with Pierre. Gittens was chosen as the getaway driver. The ransom demand was $160,000. He was supposed to be held in the bush in Bourg Mulatresse. I was present for the kidnapping. He was kidnapped from the Curry House Bar, Queen Street, (Aranquez). “I saw Mr Ramadar being dragged out of the bar. I saw them bundle him in the back of vehicle. I was present with Winston Gittens when the ransom calls were being made. His wife wanted to talk to him. Winston went and collect the individual from where he was being held. And while carrying him to the location where they had stashed him, they allowed her to talk to him on the phone.

“I together with Ricardo De Four, was involved in the collection of the ransom. De Four was looking out for any suspicious looking police vehicles that might be following the individual that was coming to drop the ransom off. I was travelling in De Four’s car, a silver Elantra. Pierre and Gittens picked up the ransom. We returned to Gittens’ apartment and separated the money. I received $30,000, De Four got $12,000, Gittens $30,000, Pierre $30,000. Ramadar was then released.” Percival said in January 2005, the plan was devised to kidnap Balram. Percival said he went to Defence Force Headquarters and met with Nurse to discuss the kidnapping. He said Nurse came out from the canteen and approached the vehicle in which he was seated. The plan, he said, was to kidnap Balo’s son. It was decided that De Four would look out for the police. Percival went to Bourg Mulatresse and asked Wayne Pierre if he could handle the kidnapping and Pierre said yes. But later Nurse and De Four changed the plan and decided to kidnap Balram instead.

Percival said, “Sometime later, De Four called me and said they wanted to meet Wayne, so they met at Mellow Moods Bar, days before the kidnapping. We sat under one of the carat sheds—De Four, Pierre, Nurse and myself. “Nurse said they were going to take Balram instead of the child. Nurse said it was easier to take the father. They were trying to convince Wayne Pierre and myself that the man had money and he had shares and other businesses in Trinidad. “Pierre wanted to be sure that the man really had money. De Four said the man have stocks and shares and other businesses. De Four said he got the information from Straker. The next time we had discussions was the day before the kidnapping. It was outside the Mellow Moods bar. Present were Nurse, De Four, Joseph, myself and Straker. They left to go and identify Balo at a bar. After pointing out Balo, they left. “Nurse also pointed out Balo’s house.”

-Francis Joseph
The Trinidad Guardian
16 Sep 2009
(Images #2 and #3 copyright the Trinidad Guardian.)