Peterson Marivadze
A Kuwadzana man is battling for his life after robbers pounced on the vehicle he was boarding before stabbing him eight times on Saturday night.
Ezekiel Chibiku (34) is reported to have boarded a Toyota Corolla vehicle along Samora Machel around 9pm after knocking off from his workplace, Suncity Casino in Belgravia.
The victim’s brother Elisha Chibiku confirmed the incident saying his brother is currently admitted at a private hospital where he is battling for his life.
“I can confirm that my brother was attacked on Saturday night in Kuwadzana 7 near a place popularly known as ‘paMagetsi’, him and other passengers who were onboard lost valuables including money, cellphones and clothes.
“He had boarded the vehicle at Total Service Station along Samora Machel after knocking off from his shift at a casino in Belgravia, however after the car had just turned from Bulawayo Road, the driver is alleged to have parked the car before disembarking without announcing any reason and left the passengers seated inside whilst the car was idling,” narrated Chibiku.
According to Chibiku, it is still unclear why the driver parked along the road.
However, it was at that moment when the robbers emerged and started demanding money and phones from the passengers who were at the back seat.
“My brother was stabbed on the arm, shoulder and chest about eight times whilst the other guys were also stabbed before the robbers grabbed everything they had.
My brother managed to get on the driver’s seat and drove the car to Dzivaresekwa police station where the police called an ambulance as he was bleeding profusely,” he said.
The incident has sparked anger among fellow employees at the casino who are complaining about unsafe operating conditions citing accommodation and transport issues.
“It is a prerequisite that casinos should have a hotel or rooms for accommodation to cater for those on night shifts, it is a serious requirement everywhere else but we do not have the facilities here.
“Furthermore, we have a challenge that we are not provided transport to go home after knocking off even during odd hours like 2am, however other workers of Cambodians nationality whom we work with here are driven home and dropped at doorsteps and that is a cause of concern at this casino,” revealed an employee at Suncity casino who declined to be named for fear of victimization.
Efforts to get a comment from the casino operators were futile during the time of writing.