Phonecard vendor stabbed in the back and robbed

Phone card vendor Curnique Charles believes that he was targeted by robbers because of his occupation.{{more}}

At press time, the Layou resident was a patient at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, nursing four stab wounds to his back, after six men ambushed him outside Aunt Jobe’s Supermarket on the Road to Leeward, and relieved him of $5,000, shortly after 8pm on Saturday August 14, 2010.

The visibly aching 25-year-old, who has been selling phone cards for more than five years, told SEARCHLIGHT that he was awaiting transportation to go home when he was attacked.

“When I dey waiting for a van, about six guys attacked me from behind…they come with hoodies and rags around they face and started firing stones at me,” Charles said. He added that he dodged the stones and then, “One come with a cutlass and start firing plans, so I tried dodging.”

Attempts to flee his attackers’ onslaught proved futile as Charles was thrown to the ground and beaten. “I just couldn’t escape the blows because it was too many of them…,” he said.

After his attackers fled with the money, Charles said he did not realise he had been stabbed in the back until someone shouted out to him.

Charles said part of the money was his personal earnings, while the remainder was to pay for phone cards.

“I feel real bad that this have to happen to me….I want the police to really do something ‘bout this because my life coulda been taken,” Charles asserted.

Police are carrying out investigations into the matter. (KW)