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Taxi driver rescued from alleged carjacker
Ricky Ramdannie , 44
By Kemol King
A taxi driver is expressing gratitude to public-spirited citizens of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, who rescued him from a brutal attack on Friday January 3 last that landed him in the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Ricky Ramdannie, 44, of Section C, Block Y Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, said he was soliciting passengers outside of the Republic Bank on Water Street at about 16:09 hrs, when he was approached by a “strapping young man,” who appeared to be in his thirties.
The man requested to be taken to Mon Repos, and Ramdannie agreed to take the job.
The taxi driver explained that as he began to drive up the East Coast public road, the passenger made several requests for him to drive on the “line-top” instead of on the main road. Two requests, he had refused, until a story about a police roadblock and construction work from his passenger, caused Ramdannie to turn on to the line-top around the University of Guyana area.
The passenger reportedly requested to stop at the Mon Repos Market, since he wanted to transact business with a woman.
As they reached Mon Repos, Ramdannie said that he was instructed to drive through small, lonely road, at which point he began to feel unsettled. One road at the side of the market held a police booth. Ramdannie said that, when Persaud saw the booth, he stepped out of the car to make sure that the booth was empty.
The passenger reportedly then asked Ramdannie to drive through a street, then stepped out as if looking for the ‘woman’ he said he wanted to meet.
A moment passed, and the man asked Ramdannie to lend him his phone to make a call. After several apparent attempts, as Ramdannie moved to get his phone back, he told Kaieteur News that the man punched him to the neck and tried to snatch his car keys.
The passenger reportedly began punching Ramdannie repeatedly.
At one point, Ramdannie allegedly fell and the man struck him with rocks, causing him to black out momentarily.
Fortunately for him, a woman heard his cries for help. She raised an alarm, prompting passersby to approach the scene.
On noticing the crowd, the taxi driver’s attacker reportedly tried to escape, but other drivers used their vehicles to block his path.
Eventually, the robber was arrested by Beterverwagting Police Station ranks, who were sent by Traffic Chief Linden Isles.
He was transferred to the Sparendaam Police Station, which holds male prisoners.
Because of his injuries, Ramdannie said he was unable to give police a statement that day.
He was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, and released later that Saturday.
After being discharged from the hospital, the married father of five went to uplift his car at the Beterverwagting Police Station.
He was told to go to the Sparendaam Police Station on the following Sunday to give a statement and to have a confrontation with his attacker.
When he returned, a rank attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) facilitated the confrontation, during which the suspect was allowed to read out his statement and give a response. But the alleged robber reportedly refused to comment, save for telling him in the presence of several ranks that he would pay to be released.
But Ramdannie said he insisted that the man be charged.
The detective also reportedly refused to accept the bribe.
A report was reportedly sent to the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), returning with a recommendation that the suspect be charged.
However, police received the recommendation after the suspect was already released.
He is expected to show up at the Sparendaam Magistrates Court today to be charged.
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