Bus driver attempts to poison vice principal

Marcia Scott

It didn’t prove to be a piece of cake for 56-year-old Norval Bulgin, a Montego Bay Community College bus driver who allegedly solicited the help of a student, in an attempt to poison the institution’s vice principal, whom he learnt wanted to have him fired.

On Monday, as the 56-year-old awaited a determination on whether his case would be transferred from the parish court to the Circuit Court, details of the alleged charges against him were read out in the courtroom.

On April 16, it is alleged, after learning that the institution’s vice principal wanted to have him fired, Bulgin took matters into his own hands, and secured a poisoned cake which he intended to have the school administrator partake of. It is further alleged that Bulgin then identified a student whom he offered to pay, on the grounds that the student delivered the cake to Carol Walters, the vice principal in question.

The student ultimately refused Bulgin’s offer, and subsequently contacted and reported the matter to the school’s administration, which then contacted the police. Following investigations, Bulgin was arrested and charged.

Presiding judge, Sandria Wong-Small, in having Bulgin answer to a charge of soliciting to murder, shared “As it relates to this matter, the prosecution is ready to have a committal hearing.” The prosecution was also ready to serve said documents on Bulgin’s defence attorney, Oswest Senior-Smith, the judge confirmed.

Wong-Small also indicated that “… the bundle is to be served on defense counsel on or before June 24,” before extending Bulgin’s bail offer, which he had taken up during a previous court appearance.

Bulgin is to return to court for his July 5 committal hearing. If he is found to be guilty of the charge laid against him, he could face a sentence of up to five years to life.