By Leroy Smith
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Senior Journalist and Corporate Communications Officer of iNews Guyana, Kurt Campbell was this morning (Sunday, May 25) assaulted by a taxi driver after he refused to pay an unreasonably high fare requested.
Campbell said he was physically attacked by the Taxi Driver who punched him several times to his face and held a cutlass to his throat. He could only recall that the man drove a car attached to the Indian Chief Taxi service, bearing registration number HC 2568 and was medium built with dreadlocks.
According to Campbell, the incident occurred along Main Street in the Vicinity of Palm Court. The Journalist said he had just exited Palm Court with three other friends and took the cab which was parked outside, particularly since it was attached to Indian Chief.
He said as the driver prepared to drive off he inquired about the fare from Main Street to Kitty when the driver told him $1500.
“After the driver told me the fare is $1500, I asked him to stop the car but he continued to drive before stopping two lots away, he then told me that I have to pay him a short drop fare of three hundred dollars and I refused and then questioned if Kitty was a long drop. I refused to pay him for that and exited his vehicle, while I was walking back to Palm Court I realized that my friends were kept in the vehicle so I turned back, as I was securing my friends them the driver who had already become very aggressive he then pushed me and start assault me” Campbell said.
“So I leave him and continue to walk with my friends, he then went into his vehicle and took out a cutlass and as I was walking he came up to me and placed it to my neck” the journalist added.
His assault on Campbell ceased after one of his friends paid the man the $300 he demanded.
Police non action
Meanwhile, Campbell related that he then visited the Alberttown Police Station to make a report. He claimed that half way through giving his statement a Senior Officer told the rank that was taking the statement to stop and send him to the Brickdam Police Station to uplift a medical form and complete the statement.
Campbell added that when he arrived at the Brickdam Station the ranks there handled the situation very unprofessionally; he said that he was prevented from entering the station and the female Corporal, Grimmend gave him the medical form but refused to take a statement.
“While I was exiting the station one of my friends asked the Corporal why wasn’t a statement taken and she responded that she already know what is the situation, she claimed that the driver already made a report about me abusing and assaulting him which are total lies. She then said that she believed everything that the driver said and that she will use her power and charge all of us, I was appalled and right then I felt like the system to protect me had failed… I returned to my home” Campbell said.
the police is probably on indian chief service payroll,, drive thru cummings,or take a walk and u will see the confusion that this taxi base is causing,, and no police is answering to your pleas.. they own the road, andthe pave in this area
If Mr. Campbell was a visitor to your country would the cops have behaved the same way. I guess if he had forked over a few hundred to each of the Officers, including the Captain, he would have received better service.
and once again welcome to guyana dont wprry all of this will change soon
I just cant believe this Guyana is getting more corrupt. kurt stay strong God don’t sleep. He will meet his meter and for those police officers they need to stop collecting money. Plain blank.