WHILE awarding almost $4 million to a hotel manager for wrongful dismissal, High Court judge Justice Frank Seepersad said the claimant should "hang his head in shame" for having facilitated the sexual exploitation of many young women hired at the Coco Reef Hotel in Tobago and for facilitating acts of prostitution.

The claimant also allegedly performed obeah rituals and assisted in hiding earnings from the notice of the authorities.

In a strongly-worded ruling delivered on Monday, the judge ordered that details of the case be sent to the police to investigate whether the claimant and/or a defendant had committed any criminal offence.

The claimant was Eric Feniet, represented by attorneys T Bharath, D Bharath and M Narinesingh, and the defendants were Bella Forms Resorts Ltd trading as Coco Reef Resort (first defendant) and John Jefferis (second defendant) both represented by M George and S Lawrence.

According to the claimant's facts, Feniet was employed at the hotel in 1995 to upgrade its food and beverage department, then became department manager, department director, hotel assistant general manager, and finally hotel general manager in 2002 until his dismissal in 2020. Working from age 26 to 51, he had no written contract but relied upon his good relationship with Jefferis who initially was sole proprietor of the company until his wife took over upon his deteriorating mental health.

Feniet handled "numerous personal affairs" for Jefferis and they shared a position of trust and confidence.

The court heard Jefferis relied on Feniet to handle "matters of a personal nature," apart from resort business, including getting him female company and doing obeah.

"These included caring for the second defendant’s wives whilst at the resort, securing ‘personal assistants’ for the second defendant, arranging female ‘companionship’ for the second defendant, performing 'obeah' rituals for the second defendant, using his foreign bank account for under the radar transfers of US funds, and collecting cash payments from certain guests which were not put on the books."

"The claimant brazenly testified that he arranged escorts for the second defendant and he recruited young, unmarried Indian and African women as personal assistants for the second defendant and these women were expected to have sex with him.

"He also performed bizarre and unorthodox rituals at the second defendant’s behest and used various French bank accounts to transfer money to Cuba for the second defendant." Feniet operated as Jefferis' personal butler and facilitated all the arrangements when the second defendant’s wives and mistresses stayed at the resort.

"The claimant, shockingly, facilitated despicable practices where women were possibly exploited and placed in vulnerable situations as they sought employment.

"He also arranged for escorts in a country where prostitution is illegal."

Seepersad strongly chided this conduct.

"This court feels compelled to register its dismay, outrage and alarm over the various admissions advanced by the