Police Officer Convicted of Attempted Fraud Against Businessman

In a deeply unsettling case, Constable Deomohunsing Rambaruth has been found guilty of attempted fraud, a verdict announced on 7 March by the Intermediate Court. This incident shines a light on the disturbing potential for individuals in positions of authority to engage in deceptive practices for personal gain.

The events transpired between 8 and 11 February 2019, when Rambaruth posed as an agent of the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA).

He contacted businessman Sylven Ramsamy, falsely claiming that Ramsamy owed an eye-watering Rs 2.8 million in taxes.

In a brazen initiative, Rambaruth proposed that this issue could be “amicably resolved” for a bribe of Rs 300,000.

As the discussions continued, Ramsamy began to grow suspicious of the legitimacy of Rambaruth’s claims.

Their initial in-person meeting occurred on 8 February 2019 in Les Salines, where Rambaruth, brandishing a badge bearing the name Ramesh Basgeet Seegolam, maintained his facade as an MRA representative.

However, a timely check with a relative working at the MRA revealed that Rambaruth was not affiliated with the authority, and the badge he displayed was indeed a forgery.

Alarmed by this revelation, Ramsamy promptly reported the incident to the authorities.

On 9 February, police accompanied Ramsamy to a follow-up meeting at the Garden of the Company in Port-Louis, where the attempted fraud was thwarted.

During Rambaruth’s arrest, officers discovered a counterfeit MRA badge in his possession, adding weight to the growing case against him.

Experts from the MRA later confirmed that the badge was fake, further solidifying the evidence.

Throughout the trial, Rambaruth denied the accusations, alleging that he had simply found the badge and wore it out of curiosity.

However, this explanation did not hold water with Magistrate Pritviraj Balluck, who found Rambaruth’s testimony lacking credibility.

The magistrate stated, “The defendant’s story involves not merely a simple deceit, but a series of lies, supported by numerous interactions between the complainant and the defendant, either face-to-face or over the phone.”

Magistrate Balluck conveyed disbelief regarding Rambaruth’s assertion that inquisitiveness prompted him to use the badge.

“The claim that the accused discovered the badge and altered a photo for fun is, to my mind, improbable and hard to accept.”

After a comprehensive review of the evidence, the judgement was delivered on 7 March, with Constable Rambaruth convicted of attempted fraud under Articles 2 and 45 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Act, as well as Article 330(1) of the Penal Code.

This case serves as a chilling reminder of the risks associated with misplaced authority and the necessity for vigilance against those who seek to exploit their positions for unscrupulous purposes.

Source: l’Express