Online Reporter
B-Metro Reporter
A PIRATE Honda Fit ride turned into a nightmare for a 30-year-old Nketa man who was robbed at knifepoint by passengers he had picked up along the way in Hillside, Bulawayo.
The terrifying incident happened around 6:35PM on Saturday 14 June, along Churchill Road. The unsuspecting driver was pirating from Nketa 7 to the city centre when he picked up three men who claimed they needed to collect a friend in Hillside.
But when they got to Churchill Road, the so-called passengers turned into predators.
One of them, seated at the back, pulled out an okapi knife and pointed it at the driver’s neck while another, in the front seat, jabbed him in the stomach with a second blade. One thug jumped out, popped the car bonnet, and ripped out the car battery.
The front-seat attacker ransacked the terrified driver, making off with US$115 and an Itel phone. In a bizarre move, the thugs removed the cellphone battery, threw it away, and left the handset behind.
After their ambush, the trio vanished into a waiting GD-6 twin cab with no number plates and sped off toward the city centre.
The total value of stolen goods is pegged at US$200. Nothing has been recovered.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele urged drivers to be cautious when picking passengers, especially during odd hours.
“We also appeal to anyone with information that could help us locate the suspects to come forward,” said Insp Msebele.
