ALLEGED Police impersonator Ronald Balgobin, aka “Coolie Boy”, aged 20 years and of Lot 35 Reliance, East Canje, appeared Monday at the Whim Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Charlyn Artiga to face charges of impersonation of a cop and collecting money by false pretence.

He was placed on $40,000 bail on each charge, and is expected to return to court on February 2 for report.

Balgobin was not required to plead to the indictable charges, particulars of which stated that on January 21, 2015 at Bloomfield Village, Corentyne, Berbice, Balgobin impersonated himself to Jose Teixeira as Police Inspector Singh, a serving member of the Guyana Police Force, knowing same to be false.

The second charge read that on the said day, he falsely and deceitfully collected a sum of Gy$10,000 from Jose Teixeira.

Initially of Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, Balgobin was arrested moments after demanding money from a motorist who had failed to wear a seat belt.

The alleged con artist told this reporter that it was his first brush with the law, and that he was sorry for the incident, which resulted in two motorists being defrauded of $8000.

He said the needs of his young wife and two-month-old daughter has forced him to commit the act.
“Things bad at home; the baby needed milk and pampers. I decided to try a thing”, he confessed.

He said he had previously worked as a security officer with Demerara Bank, but was laid off. Since then, he said, life had been difficult at his Lot 5 Meadow Brook Drive home in Georgetown.

The relationship between himself and his step-father became sour, forcing him to migrate to Reliance Village in East Canje.