A VENEZUELAN miner on Tuesday shot and injured his colleague over an outstanding debt during a confrontation at Arau Mountain Top, Region Seven.

The injured man, Teon Moffatt, a miner of Haslington Village, East Coast Demerara, is hospitalised and is nursing two gunshot wounds to the left leg.

Reports indicate that Moffatt was at a mining camp and was leaving the location when the Venezuelan approached him from the opposite direction. The Venezuelan miner reportedly confronted Moffat about the money which he is owed.

Moffatt allegedly owes the Venezuelan national for 2.5 grams of raw gold, valued at $15,000. However, Moffat told the Venezuelan that he was not in the possession of the gold. As such, the suspect became very annoyed and whipped out a revolver from under his jersey and shot the man twice to his upper left leg.

When contacted, police confirmed the shooting and noted that investigations are ongoing along with a search for the Venezuelan.