?Dexter Tang-Kwok has over 30 years' service in the T&T Police Service. At age 48, he has been a member of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) for the past seven years. During that time, Tang-Kwok has been involved in 100 kidnapping investigations across the country. He gave evidence before Judge John Bates in the Washington Federal Court on June 18 in the trial of seven Trinidadians charged with taking US citizen, Balram "Balo" Maharaj, hostage. They were found guilty on July 31 and will be sentenced on February 12, 2010. Tang-Kwok was called to testify on his role in the investigations into another kidnapping–that of pharmacy worker, Sita Ragoonanan.
Tang-Kwok, a corporal, said: "Presently, I'm in charge of all negotiations for kidnapping ransom. I'm also in charge of the incident co-ordinating centre, of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit. I was first assigned to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in August of 2002. From August of 2002 until today, I have been involved in over 100 kidnapping investigations." Since 2005, Tang-Kwok said he had been involved in about 30 of the 58 kidnapping investigations.
Tang-Kwok was questioned by Assistant US attorney, Bruce Hegyi.
Q. Do you know of something called a NOC? It's referred to as the NOC?
A. It's a Negotiation Operation Center.
Q. And when does a–what is that?
A. That is where we normally would set up a NOC after the first ransom call. The person is kidnapped; we'd usually wait until there's a ransom, and with the assistance of the family, we would set up, in a suitable area, recordings where persons will be taped. And every transcription of that recording will be placed on a log, a call log.
Q. Within the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, is there a person who's responsible?...Let's take from 2005. Was there a person who was responsible for the decisions about setting up a NOC?
A. Yes. I was the person.
Q. You were. And where would–what are the kinds of places that a NOC would be set up if someone was kidnapped?
A. Usually, we set it up at either the residence of the victim or office, wherever is suitable.
Q. Now, were you involved in the setting up of the NOC in the kidnapping of Dexter Jagdeo in December of 2004?
A. Yes, I was, sir.
Q. Were you involved in the setting up of the NOC for the kidnapping of Sita Roogananan in June of 2005?
A. Yes, I was, sir.
Q. Who was responsible for setting up the NOC in the kidnapping of Balram Maharaj in April of 2005?
A. Then it would be then Constable Seepaul, Kelvin Seepaul.
Tang-Kwok said the T&T Police Service was asked by the American government for copies of all of the call logs and ransom calls, tapes, with regard to the kidnapping of Dexter Jagdeo, Robin Ramadar, Sita Roogananan and Balram Maharaj. He said in June 2006, the information on the Balo kidnapping was handed over to the FBI.
Q. Now, with regard to Dexter Jagdeo, was the US government provided with any of the ransom call tapes?
A. Not to my knowledge, no, sir.
Q. With regard to Robin Ramadar, was the government of the United States provided with some of the tapes?
A. Yes, sir, to my knowledge.
Q. Were we provided with all of the tapes?
A. No, not to my knowledge, sir.
Q. With regard to Sita Roogananan, was the government of the United States provided with all of the tapes for Sita Roogananan?
A. No, sir, not to my knowledge.
Q. Were we provided with a single tape from Sita Roogananan?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What happened to the other tapes, sir?
A. Some of the tapes went for analysis, voice analysis. And during that period, there was some mix-up, and we never got back some of the tapes.
Q. What are you talking about when they went for voice analysis? Why was that important, and what were you trying to do?
A. It is important to notice–to ascertain the voice. So let us say we got a call at day one. We'd take that tape, send it to our lab to have the voice analysed to see if it would have been–that same voice would have been involved in other kidnappings.
Q. And once those tapes left to be analysed, did they ever make it back to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit?
A. No, sir, not to my knowledge.
Q. Have you searched high and low to try to locate them?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You indicated that you had direct involvement with the Dexter Jagdeo kidnapping?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you–where was the NOC set up in the Dexter Jagdeo kidnapping?
A. At his residence.
Q. Did you personally go there from time to time?
A. Yes, I did, sir.
Q. Were you there when some ransom calls came in?
A. Yes, I was.
Q. When you were there, did any ransom calls come in?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you hear any of the calls come in?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What was being demanded?
A. Money.
Q. Did you hear what the caller was requesting?
A. The caller was requesting money.
Q. With regard to Sita Roogananan in June of 2005, what was your direct involvement in that?
A. I was the supervisor in charge.
Q. Did you go to where the NOC was set up?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where was the NOC set up?
A. Southern Main Road, Curepe, the business of Mr David Deosaran.
Q. And who was David Deosaran?
A. David Deosaran was the victim.
TOMORROW:
A kidnap victim returns home.
