Bartica businessman granted $800,000 bail for night club shooting

Less than two weeks after he was charged, forty-six-year-old Vivendra Balgobin was on Thursday released on $800,000 bail for shooting and injuring a man at a Bartica nightclub.

Magistrate Crystal Lambert granted bail with the condition that Balgobin lodges his passport with the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

The case was adjourned to September 28.

Balgobin was charged on September 1 with the attempted murder of Conroy Cox called “Pink Boy”.

He was not required to plead to the charge.

Cox, 38, a labourer of Third Avenue, Bartica was among two persons shot and injured on August 30. The other person was Lavella Douglas, 18, of Second Avenue, Bartica.

Balgobin was arrested shortly after the incident and his licensed firearm was seized and lodged.

According to the Police, an investigation revealed that Balgobin and two of his friends were at Paradise Night Club; the two victims were there as well.

And while at the nightclub, Police said one of Balgobin’s friends hit the table which the victims were sitting at, causing the bottles to fall and alcohol to spill on them.

“Conroy Cox and the suspect then had a heated exchange of words, during which Cox threw some liquid substance in the suspect’s face and assaulted him,” Police explained.

Cox left and went away and returned shortly after with his vehicle and he continued to verbally abuse the suspect, according to the Police.

“Conroy Cox then exited his vehicle, and in so doing, the suspect took out his licensed Glock 45 firearm and discharged several rounds in his direction, hitting him three times to his abdomen,” Police added.

During the shooting, Douglas was also shot to her right hand.

Both Cox and Douglas were taken to the Bartica Hospital, where they were admitted. Cox’s condition is listed as critical while Douglas is said to be in a stable condition.

Investigators retrieved two 9MM spent shells at the scene.