Businessman gets $800,000 bail on attempted murder charge

Businessman Vivendra Balgobin, a resident of Fifth Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), who has been charged with attempted murder and had been remanded to prison, was on Thursday granted $800,000 bail.
The 46-year-old Balgobin had been arraigned before Bartica Magistrate Christel Lambert on September 2, and had not been required to plead to the indictable charge. He had been denied bail, and had been remanded to prison. However, when the case was again brought before Magistrate Lambert on Thursday, September 14, Balgobin’s attorney, Bernard Da Silva, renewed the application for bail.
The accused has been placed on bail with the requirement that he lodges his passport with the court. The matter has been adjourned to September 28.
The charge against Balgobin alleges that, on August 30, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Conroy Cox of Third Avenue, Bartica with intent to commit murder.
Police Headquarters have said that a brawl at a nightclub in Bartica resulted in Cox, called “Pink Boy”, a 38-year-old labourer, and a teenage girl from Second Avenue, Bartica being shot over spilled drinks.

Police have said that at time of the shooting, the victims and the businessman had been at a popular nightclub at Third Avenue, Bartica when Balgobin’s friend hit the table where the victims were sitting while he was passing, and that had caused bottles containing alcohol to fall and spill on the victims.
Cox and Balgobin had got into a heated argument, during which Cox had allegedly thrown liquid in Balgobin’s face and had otherwise assaulted him. In anger, Cox had left the bar, but had reportedly returned shortly afterwards in a vehicle, and had continued to verbally abuse Balgobin.
Cox had reportedly then exited the vehicle, and at this point, Balgobin had pulled out his licensed firearm and discharged several rounds in Cox’s direction. Cox had been hit three times in the abdomen, and his teen companion had sustained a wound to her right hand.
Both victims were rushed to the Bartica Hospital, where they were admitted as patients. Two 9MM spent shells were recovered from the scene.