WALVIS BAY – A Swakopmund taxi driver had to endure six hours of horror when he was kidnapped and stuffed in the boot of his own vehicle, allegedly by three men. 

According to the police, the incident happened early Saturday morning, when the three men allegedly stopped the taxi around 00h00 in front of a bar in Mondesa. 

Crime investigations coordinator for Erongo Erastus Iikuyu told journalists the 30-year-old taxi driver initially thought the men were genuine customers.  “However, the group started to assault him with stones as soon as they got into the taxi and tore his clothes, tied him up and blindfolded him before they forced him into the boot of his own car,” Iikuyu said yesterday. He added the men allegedly drove around Mondesa while their victim was still in the boot and robbed several other people they found walking in the streets. 

“The victim also indicated he heard a single gunshot during the robbery spree, before the suspects abandoned the taxi behind Festus Gonteb Primary School around 06h00,” Iikuyu explained. 

According to him, the taxi driver was rescued by passers-by who heard him calling for help from the boot of his vehicle. He sustained injuries on his forehead, shoulder as well as scratch marks on his stomach. 

 Police now believe the same suspect also robbed two other men during their robbery spree in Mondesa.  The suspects allegedly approached the two victims near a bar in the area. 

“One of the suspects was armed with a pistol while another had a stone when they confronted the two victims. The one with the pistol, cocked and fired a single shot and started searching the victims. They took a Samsung Galaxy J4 phone valued at N$1 500, a card holder containing one of the victim’s identity documents, bank card and N$1 000,” he said. 

edeklerk@nepc.com.na