By Ruth Yeabu Sesay
Reports are emerging of an alarming spate of violent robberies in taxis in various parts of the capital Freetown, a problem that has angered many people.
Speaking to Politico on the 13th of October 2022 Abdul Carlos Sherry a victim of such a robbery narrated his ordeal of the 30th of September 2022 in which his NLE 5,000 (five thousand new Leones) was stolen.
He had boarded a taxi at Lumley at 1 pm to take him to the Central Business District of Freetown, explaining that the taxi driver who already had three other passengers told him that he can no longer make the trip. The man said he decided to get down the taxi, but found out that the cab’s doors had been put on central lock, preventing him from opening the car.
He said there was a struggle between him and the men in the cab, but was overpowered and his money snatched from him. He was pushed out of the car during which he sustained an injury on his hand.
Sherry said he later realised he had mistakenly grabbed the driver’s phone instead of his, which eventually played a key part in locating the taxi, after making a report at the Lumley Police Station, though the driver was nowhere to be found.
The taxi is now in the custody of the Police. According to Sherry the phone was used to track down the taxi at Samuel Town near Waterloo. The driver’s wife was arrested by the Police but was later released, though her husband is still at large.
Politico met Crime Officer Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohamed Sannoh, who could only say the media will be updated after they would have completed their investigations.
Another victim of the taxi robbery Regina Fullah told Politico that she took a taxi at Dundas Street headed for Circular road, in central Freetown but that the driver abruptly told her he could no longer make it to her destination and that she should take another taxi. She added that as she was trying to open the door the two men beside her stole her phone.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (14/10/22)
