Man beaten, bound & dumped for dead by taxi drivers

MISSIONLANDS – A 29-year-old man was severely beaten, bound and dumped for dead down an embankment on Estuary Drive in Missionlands today (Thursday). A pedestrian contacted the RUSA Operations at approximately 10:12 requesting assistance for the man who was calling out for help.

Reaction Officers and RUSA Paramedics were immediately dispatched and located the severely injured male several meters down a steep embankment. His feet were bound with rope and his jacket. He explained that he was kidnapped in the Verulam CBD this morning by taxi drivers who accused him of stealing a cellphone. They assaulted him and dumped him for dead after he became unresponsive.

The man denied the theft and alleged that it was a case of mistaken identity. He sustained multiple open wounds and suspected fractures from the assault. The male was stabilized on scene before being expedited to hospital by ambulance.