A 30-year-old man was jailed for 10 years yesterday for aggravated robbery.

Magistrate Shageeth Somaratne said the offence has become ‘more prevalent now to see that taxi drivers are being targeted by the criminals’.

Samuela Tuibeqa Vuniwawa with two others on September 29, last year, hired the taxi of the complainant from a Namadi taxi base and went to Tikaram Place.

The court heard that they assaulted the taxi driver and stole his mobile phone and cash and ran away.

It was stated in court that Vuniwawa tried to take the taxi also, but couldn’t as the complainant had managed to throw the key away.

In passing sentence, Magistrate Somaratne said: “This was committed against a public service transport provider and the complainant also got injured from this attack because at that time you had in your possession a knife.

“You with others not only brutally attacked the complainant and stole his properties in broad daylight but you also tried to highjack his car.

“This robbery would have left a traumatic experience not only on the complainant but also on the civilians who were observing this from their homes.

“You said you do not know anything about this even at this stage which shows that you are not remorseful of your behaviour.”

Magistate Somaratne further stated that he would impose a maximum sentence to denounce the behaviour of the accused, to deter future offenders and to protect the public.

The non-parole period is eight years.

Edited by Caroline Ratucadra

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