TAXI ROBBERIES: HOW SAFE ARE YOU?
Jul 29, 2009
When Godfrey Kimono left office at around 11:00pm, the only thing on his mind was getting back home, have a shower and sleep. He crossed Jinja Road from the Industrial Area, where he works. A taxi quickly came, with the conductor calling passengers to Kir
By Joshua Kato
When Godfrey Kimono left office at around 11:00pm, the only thing on his mind was getting back home, have a shower and sleep. He crossed Jinja Road from the Industrial Area, where he works. A taxi quickly came, with the conductor calling passengers to Kireka and Bweyogerere. Kimono boarded and found four people inside — the driver, conductor and two supposed passengers.
One of the passengers was seated in front and another directly behind the driver. As the taxi drove off, the driver switched off the lights.
“Why are you switching off the lights?†Kimono asked, but there was no answer. “Then suddenly, instead of driving to Kireka, the driver branched off to Lugogo by-pass. I realised that these were thugs and had to find a way of escaping,†Kimono says.
He grabbed the steering wheel, which forced the driver to stop. “The passenger in the front seat (next to me) tried to fight me, but I overpowered him,†Kimono says.
During the scuffle, one the thugs grabbed sh200,000 from Kimono’s pocket and threw him out of the taxi, before they sped off.
However, for Wangwe Mulakha, who also works in Industrial Area, it happened during the day, aboard a taxi from Luzira.
“They said the door could not close properly and humbly asked me to hold it. In the process, the ‘passenger’ next to me stole my phone from my pocket,†he recalls.
These are just a few of the robberies carried out on unsuspecting passengers in taxis in the recent months.
According to the Police report, these robberies are spread all over the city, although Katwe and Kibuye areas are hit most.
About 20 cases were reported to the Police in May, but many go unreported.
In many cases, there is a woman in the taxi to hoodwink passengers. Sometimes if one gives them a big currency note, they turn around and claim it is fake.
Several years ago, thugs armed with pistols, used to board taxis and rob passengers along the way. However, these were put out of action by Wembley operatives.
“We have increased deployments on the city roads such that in case there is an alarm, there is a policeman to help,†says Judith Nabakooba, the Police spokesperson.
She urged passengers to be careful when boarding taxis.
Reverend Ferdinand Atwine, UTODA’s operations officer, says most of the taxis involved in robberies do not enter the taxi park and are owned by individuals who use them to rob.
Atwine warns passengers to board taxis only from designated stages since these are registered and can be monitored.
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR BEFORE BOARDING A TAXI
Before boarding taxis, passengers should be alert and scrutinise them. Below are some of the key things to look out for:
- Number of passengers in the taxi. If there are four passengers or less, be wary.
- How the passengers are seated. Victims say if there are two passengers on the seat behind the driver and one in front, then it is likely that these are thieves.
- If they tell you to hold the door because it cannot lock, just know these are thieves and jump off.
- If they do not pick other passengers.
- If they insist on taking alternative routes for no good reason.
When Godfrey Kimono left office at around 11:00pm, the only thing on his mind was getting back home, have a shower and sleep. He crossed Jinja Road from the Industrial Area, where he works. A taxi quickly came, with the conductor calling passengers to Kireka and Bweyogerere. Kimono boarded and found four people inside — the driver, conductor and two supposed passengers.
One of the passengers was seated in front and another directly behind the driver. As the taxi drove off, the driver switched off the lights.
“Why are you switching off the lights?†Kimono asked, but there was no answer. “Then suddenly, instead of driving to Kireka, the driver branched off to Lugogo by-pass. I realised that these were thugs and had to find a way of escaping,†Kimono says.
He grabbed the steering wheel, which forced the driver to stop. “The passenger in the front seat (next to me) tried to fight me, but I overpowered him,†Kimono says.
During the scuffle, one the thugs grabbed sh200,000 from Kimono’s pocket and threw him out of the taxi, before they sped off.
However, for Wangwe Mulakha, who also works in Industrial Area, it happened during the day, aboard a taxi from Luzira.
“They said the door could not close properly and humbly asked me to hold it. In the process, the ‘passenger’ next to me stole my phone from my pocket,†he recalls.
These are just a few of the robberies carried out on unsuspecting passengers in taxis in the recent months.
According to the Police report, these robberies are spread all over the city, although Katwe and Kibuye areas are hit most.
About 20 cases were reported to the Police in May, but many go unreported.
In many cases, there is a woman in the taxi to hoodwink passengers. Sometimes if one gives them a big currency note, they turn around and claim it is fake.
Several years ago, thugs armed with pistols, used to board taxis and rob passengers along the way. However, these were put out of action by Wembley operatives.
“We have increased deployments on the city roads such that in case there is an alarm, there is a policeman to help,†says Judith Nabakooba, the Police spokesperson.
She urged passengers to be careful when boarding taxis.
Reverend Ferdinand Atwine, UTODA’s operations officer, says most of the taxis involved in robberies do not enter the taxi park and are owned by individuals who use them to rob.
Atwine warns passengers to board taxis only from designated stages since these are registered and can be monitored.
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR BEFORE BOARDING A TAXI
Before boarding taxis, passengers should be alert and scrutinise them. Below are some of the key things to look out for:
- Number of passengers in the taxi. If there are four passengers or less, be wary.
- How the passengers are seated. Victims say if there are two passengers on the seat behind the driver and one in front, then it is likely that these are thieves.
- If they tell you to hold the door because it cannot lock, just know these are thieves and jump off.
- If they do not pick other passengers.
- If they insist on taking alternative routes for no good reason.