A soldier, operating in the ride hailing service industry in the port city of Sekondi-Takoradi, who was drenched in petrol, and set on fire by a rider has died of his severe burns.
The incident happened at a neighborhood in the metropolis, called Bakano, in the night of Wednesday, December 22, at about 10 pm.
The navy officer, who doubled as a Bolt driver, to make additional income to build a solid life for himself, suffered severe burns and was rushed to the Effia-Nkwanta regional hospital.
It is unclear, why the attack on the driver.
There is strong suspicion that this might have been a botched attempt to snatch his car. His assailant is on the run.
It is not uncommon, seeing many car-owning middle-class public and private sector workers including bankers, teachers and personnel of the security services, after close of work or when they are off-duty, doing a ride hailing service to generate extra income to strengthen their economic situation.
Edmund Kweku Appiah, the Western Regional Finance Committee Chairman of the Ghana Online Drivers Association, has confirmed the death of the soldier/ride hailing driver.
He could not pull through and passed away at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, where he had been transferred. He said the incident has brought shock, sadness and panic among many a ride hailing drive in the region.
He said if this could happen to a trained military person, then should anybody not to be afraid. “All of us are in deep shock.
Everybody is left in shock and we are praying to God to protect us. We are into the Christmas festivities, and we are not sure bolt drivers are going to drive people round.”
There is speculation that two suspects have been picked and he said it was their prayer that “this is true”
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