POPULAR Soca artiste, ‘Benjai’ of Trinidad and Tobago was severely injured in the face early Sunday morning following an altercation with an irate Palm Court patron.
The incident reportedly occurred outside of the popular downtown Main Street nightspot after Rodney Le Blanc, as is the artiste’s given name, had wrapped up a successful appointment there.
According to eyewitnesses, ‘Benjai’, who was one of the main acts at an event titled “Easter Phenomenon”, was mingling with patrons outside of the establishment when he became embroiled in an argument.
Sources say that in the heat of the argument, the assailant whipped out a beer bottle and hit ‘Benjai’ in the face so hard it shattered on impact.
The singer was immediately rushed to a private hospital, where he received over a dozen stiches in the face.
Some say the assault stemmed from a misunderstanding between ‘Benjai’, who was allegedly intoxicated, and a taxi driver.
“The singer was so drunk… He was outside drinking from a Ciroc bottle and trying to impress about six ladies that were around him,” one eyewitness said.
It so happened, the eyewitness said, that three of the women were bracing the man’s car, and he did not take too kindly to it.
“When the driver of the car kindly asked the three girls that was bracing on his car to remove,” he said, “the singer became annoyed and started to hit the back of the car window with the Ciroc bottle.
“The argument started when the driver came out and asked what was the problem.”
The eyewitness further said that in the height of the argument, ‘Benjai’ advanced to the driver with the Ciroc bottle, but the man did not retaliate.
“He get lash to he face after another man in the club see what was going on, because he did trouble the man girl earlier.
“And that man, who was in no way affiliated with the driver, decided to assault him,” the eyewitness said.
Police were, however, unable to confirm what took place outside the Palm Court on Sunday morning, and whether anyone was apprehended.
The event was promoted by Pulse Entertainment.