News / Local
Hammer-wielding men rob taxi driver
13 Sep 2011 at 12:57hrs | Views
TWO men armed with a hammer reportedly assaulted a taxi driver before robbing him of his car in Bulawayo's Old Magwegwe suburb.
Police have since arrested some suspects in connection with the robbery, which occurred on Thursday.
Confirming the arrests yesterday, CID coordinator for the Matabeleland region, Assistant Commissioner Erasmus Makodza said three men were arrested in Plum tree.
"I can confirm the arrests of the three suspects who were found in possession of the car," said Asst Comm Makodza.
The robbers allegedly assaulted the driver with the hammer and fists before robbing him of cash and a cell phone.
They reportedly left him for dead and sped away in the taxi.
The car, a dark green Mazda Demio whose registration number is ABZ 0290, belonged to City Rollers Taxis.
Police spokesperson for Bulawayo Metropolitan Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo on Friday confirmed the incident, which happened near Marisha Cocktail Bar at about 8pm.
A driver for the same company said his 38-year old colleague was hired by two men at TM Hyper on the fateful night.
"They told him they wanted to go to Old Magwegwe to collect their sick mother and take her to hospital. They got to a certain house in the suburb and made him wait in the car. After a few minutes they came out claiming someone had already taken their mother to hospital," said the driver.
He said the men then told his colleague to drive to another house in the same suburb, where they said they would find their sister.
"They asked him to stop at a house near Marisha Cocktail Bar. One of them got out of the car while the other remained in the back seat, behind the driver. The one in the back seat produced a small hammer and struck the driver on the back of the head," said the taxi driver.
The driver said the two men ordered the driver to get out of the car.
He said the two men then demanded cash.
"He could not comply because he was still suffering from the effects of the blows. He had bruises on his forehead and at the back of his head. They forcibly took $26, R300 and a Nokia 1200," said the driver.
"As he staggered out of the vehicle, the man who was outside hit him with a fist and he fell down. The man hit him again before jumping into the car and sped away with his partner-in-crime."
He said his colleague was left semi-conscious but when he recovered, he hitched a lift into town and made a report at the Bulawayo Central Police Station.
He said officers from the vehicle theft squad attended the scene and took the man to hospital, where he was treated and discharged.
Meanwhile, Insp Moyo urged taxi drivers to be cautious when picking passengers, especially at night.
"They should be wary of suspicious characters. It is important for them to establish and use a system of communicating their whereabouts to their employers everytime so that robbers become afraid of attacking them," said Insp Moyo.
Police have since arrested some suspects in connection with the robbery, which occurred on Thursday.
Confirming the arrests yesterday, CID coordinator for the Matabeleland region, Assistant Commissioner Erasmus Makodza said three men were arrested in Plum tree.
"I can confirm the arrests of the three suspects who were found in possession of the car," said Asst Comm Makodza.
The robbers allegedly assaulted the driver with the hammer and fists before robbing him of cash and a cell phone.
They reportedly left him for dead and sped away in the taxi.
The car, a dark green Mazda Demio whose registration number is ABZ 0290, belonged to City Rollers Taxis.
Police spokesperson for Bulawayo Metropolitan Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo on Friday confirmed the incident, which happened near Marisha Cocktail Bar at about 8pm.
A driver for the same company said his 38-year old colleague was hired by two men at TM Hyper on the fateful night.
"They told him they wanted to go to Old Magwegwe to collect their sick mother and take her to hospital. They got to a certain house in the suburb and made him wait in the car. After a few minutes they came out claiming someone had already taken their mother to hospital," said the driver.
"They asked him to stop at a house near Marisha Cocktail Bar. One of them got out of the car while the other remained in the back seat, behind the driver. The one in the back seat produced a small hammer and struck the driver on the back of the head," said the taxi driver.
The driver said the two men ordered the driver to get out of the car.
He said the two men then demanded cash.
"He could not comply because he was still suffering from the effects of the blows. He had bruises on his forehead and at the back of his head. They forcibly took $26, R300 and a Nokia 1200," said the driver.
"As he staggered out of the vehicle, the man who was outside hit him with a fist and he fell down. The man hit him again before jumping into the car and sped away with his partner-in-crime."
He said his colleague was left semi-conscious but when he recovered, he hitched a lift into town and made a report at the Bulawayo Central Police Station.
He said officers from the vehicle theft squad attended the scene and took the man to hospital, where he was treated and discharged.
Meanwhile, Insp Moyo urged taxi drivers to be cautious when picking passengers, especially at night.
"They should be wary of suspicious characters. It is important for them to establish and use a system of communicating their whereabouts to their employers everytime so that robbers become afraid of attacking them," said Insp Moyo.
Source - Chronicle
