Twenty-one-year-old man SIMON ELLI SMITH of O’meara Road, Arima, is expected to appear at the Arima Magistrates’ Court today, after he was charged with Robbery with Violence.

According to the TTPS, Smith was charged on Monday 9th January, 2023, after officers conducted investigations into an incident where two men allegedly robbed a taxi driver.

“Police reports indicate that around 2:24 pm on January 2nd, 2023, a taxi driver was proceeding along Carapo Road, in his white Honda City vehicle, when a passenger seated in the back seat placed him in a choke hold, brandished a knife, and announced a robbery.

A second man then robbed the driver of a quantity of cash. The driver became fearful for his life and a struggle ensued, resulting in the driver sustaining several lacerations to his hand and face and a stab wound to his stomach. The driver then lost control of the vehicle, which collided into a light pole. The car spun and flipped before coming to a stop in the bushes a few feet away from the roadway.”

The second man ran off, while the first suspect along with the driver sustained injuries and remained on the scene. The driver called 999 and several officers on patrol responded.

The officers met the driver who informed them of the robbery and pointed to the suspect, who was subsequently detained. The driver and suspect were conveyed to the Arima Health Facility where they were treated for their injuries, and later both men were transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Science Complex (EWMSC) for further treatment.

The suspect was discharged from the EWMSC on January 9th, 2023, and was conveyed to the Arima Police Station, where he was subsequently charged for the offence of Robbery with Violence. An arrest is imminent with respect to the other suspect.