Fake PH driver pleads guilty to rape, manslaughter

Erin resident Jude John Arjoon, 35, yesterday pleaded guilty to six charges, among them rape, two counts of kidnapping and manslaughter, against three women which occurred within a month, 12 years ago, in south Trinidad.

Arjoon appeared before Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas in the San Fernando High Court, where he entered the pleas.

The Rancho Quemado, Erin man is charged with the unlawful killing of Mary Baldeo Waheed.

Arjoon, who was posing as a private for hire (PH) driver at the time, is also charged with robbery with violence and kidnapping another woman.

The last three charges are that he kidnapped, raped and robbed another woman. At the time of the crimes, Arjoon, who is originally from Point Fortin, was 23. He is represented by attorney Ramesh Deena.

State prosecutor Sabrina Dougdeen-Jaglal contended that at 5.40 pm on April 28, 2005, on the M2 Ring Road, a driver saw a white Ford Laser car heading south with the back door open. He later saw a woman – later identified as Waheed – jumping out of the moving car.

She was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital, where she died the following day. An autopsy on May 2, 2005, by pathologist Dr Hughvon des Vignes showed the cause of death was massive blunt cranio-cerebral trauma or blunt-force head injury.

The court heard that two months later, on July 5, PC Kieve Thompson and other police officers went to a house at Rancho Quemado, where they arrested Arjoon.

As he was arrested he said: “Boss, I had a hard childhood, I sorry. I need help. Is better allyuh kill me and done.”

He later told police he had stolen the car and his intention was to rob the female passenger who, instead, jumped out of the car, which he later abandoned at Gulf City, La Romaine.

The court was also told of the details involving the two other women.

Yesterday St Clair- Douglas ordered that the Commissioner of Prisons should submit, to the court, a bio-social report on Arjoon by January 11. He adjourned the case to January 12.