By Mustapha Jarju
A 24-year-old commercial motorist has been ‘brutally’ stabbed by an armed robber at The Gambia-Senegal border a few kilometres away from Basse.
Saidou Baldeh who hails from Gibron Kunda in the Upper River Region was paid to transport an unknown man to the Senegalese border village, Vellingara
Haruna Baldeh, brother to the victim said his brother left home and he met with a client who told him to offer him a ride to Vellingara, Senegal as he urgently need to travel to Guinea claiming he had lost his mother
“Saidou was not ready to go with the man, but the man was so emotional to win Saidou’s heart to transport him to Vellingara that very night around 8 p.m. Apparently, Saidou decided to help him out but told him to wait and let him pick up his jacket at home. He came for his jacket and went back to pick up the man.’’
“As he left with him, the man told him they should pass through Sare Mary, a village along the route where he claimed he had a family to see. From Sare Mary, on their way heading to Vellingara, the man asked Saidou to slow down his motorcycle because his cap felt down. Saidou adhered to his request, this was the moment he stabbed him on the neck, and they all instantly fell to the ground,’ Haruna disclosed to TAT correspondent in URR,” he added.
According to him, during that scramble, the motorcycle fell on Saidou and the engine burnt his leg, the man still attempted to stab him again, adding that the victim appealed for forgiveness and said ‘please don’t kill me. You can take my bike and mobile phone’.
He informs that the victim Saidou was left severely bleeding when the scuffle happened from 9pm to 7am when some passers-by found him and informed the Police in Senegal while the man ran away with his motorcycle.
Haruna further stated that the police in Basse have also been informed about the case and currently investigations are ongoing.
“However, Saidou was initially taken to a hospital in Vellingara before he was handed to his relatives in the Gambia. He is presently being admitted to the Bansang hospital in the Central River Region (CRR) in critical condition.
“Saidou needs support to save his life as soon as possible, saying that he is recommended for a referral to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul on May 22, 2022, for further surgery to establish the cause of his injury,” he continued.
