BELMOPAN–Constable Luis Cobarruvias, of the Belmopan police, has been released from custody on a bail of $1,500 and ordered to return to court on January 15, after he was arraigned in the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court this morning on charges of discharging a firearm in public, common assault, damage to property and obtaining services by deception.

Police claim that while in uniform, at about 7:30 Thursday evening in Belmopan, Cobarruvias, in an intoxicated state, broke a taxi cab mirror, refused to pay a taxi fee after he was taken to his destination, and fired shots in the area.

In taking further action against him, the police department has interdicted him from duties and he will face additional charges in front of a police tribunal.

Superintendent Howell Gillett, commander of the Belmopan police, said that they do not have evidence that the policeman fired shots at the taxi operator, and therefore, the charge of attempted murder was not levied against him.

Amandala was told that Cobarruvias had been drinking at a club near the bus terminal in Belmopan, before he got into a taxi cab and told the driver to take him to another bar, in Maya Mopan.

The taxi operator reported to police that the policeman, who was intoxicated, broke his mirror, and was uncivil in his behavior while he was being transported to his destination. When the taxi arrived at Cobarruvias’ destination, the taxi operator requested that the policeman pay him a fare of $10, and that was when the lawman allegedly took out his firearm and fired into the air and also on the road.

The taxi operator drove away immediately and went to the police, where he made an official report.