A taxi driver has shared the ordeal he experienced of being robbed by four men in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Adriu Naisiroki was robbed of $349 cash and a taxi meter worth about $350. The 33-year-old resides in Naidrodro, Ba. He claims the men were iTaukei and were about 28 to 38 years old. was robbed of $349 cash and a taxi meter worth about $350.

“I picked them after 2am at the Shirley Park Police Post, one of them approached me to take them to Nadi so I charged them $40 and they asked to lower the price so I said $35, then one of them said that they came from the village so I lowered the price to $30,” he said.

Adriu Naisiroki shows where the taxi metre was removed by the four robbers. Photo: Salote Qalubau

Mr Naisiroki said as they neared the Police Post in Lomolomo one of the men asked to divert left so he could pick something.

“The two men on the side questioned what was happening, and that’s when the man in the middle arm locked my neck from the back while the man in the front punched me and he took the $349, which included their fare, my visa money, and my cash on hand.”

He said he escaped after releasing himself.

“They were arguing because the two on the side were not aware of what was happening, so I asked one of the two to pass me my phone, he gave it to me then I left. I called the crime stoppers number three times but no one picked up,” he said.

“I called another taxi driver and he brought two police officers from the Lomolomo Police Post. I managed to get the Lautoka Police station contact and the CID officers arrived after 30 minutes, but by then the men were gone.”

Fiji Taxi Association President Raben Singh said this was the third case so far.

“Three drivers were robbed in Lautoka, Nausori and Suva so far. Police need to put up more checkpoints and drivers should report drunk passengers to the nearest police station or checkpoint,” he said.

Police spokesperson Savaira Tabua said no report was received about the incident.

Edited by Ivamere Nataro

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