Murad Buksh
August 24, 2007
Veisari, Lami, Fiji

Fiji Times
(Suva, Fiji)
August 25, 2007

Taxi driver found dead at Veisari

1819 FJT
Saturday, August 25, 2007

Update: 6.19pm POLICE are investigating the death of a taxi driver whose 
body was found hanging over a bridge at Veisari, Lami while his cab was located at 
Samabula, near the Fiji Institute of Technology.

The taxi is now parked at the Samabula Police Station.

Reports say the family of the deceased identified the body after he failed to 
return home last night.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fiji Times
(Suva, Fiji)
August 29, 2007

Taxi driver was strangled

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

TAXI driver Murad Buksh, whose body was found hanging from a bridge at 
Veisari last weekend, had been strangled, the autopsy report has revealed.

The killing, representing the third such attack against public service vehicle 
operators within a six weeks period has struck fear in the hearts of taxi 
drivers

The Fiji Taxi Union confirmed that taxi drivers were now operating on a 
skeleton staff at night.

"After the Lami incident we have found there are less drivers out on the 
road," said taxi union president Rishi Ram. Mr Ram said they would 
consider restricting operating hours at night as part of their strategy to 
protect their members who, he said, feared similar attacks.

He said this was one of the issues they would discuss at an emergency 
meeting next week.

Another issue they will look at is a call made weeks ago to Police 
Commissioner Commodore Esala Teleni to re-open all closed police posts.

On July 8, taxi driver Pardeep Chand of Siberia, Labasa was found dead in 
a creek at Bocalevu outside town with serious injuries and three men were 
charged with his murder. More than two weeks ago, van driver Rajesh 
Prasad, 19, was found with multiple stab wounds in an isolated spot at 
Dakunikoro, Navua.

His bloodied body was found 200 metres from the van he was driving that 
day. A man has been charged with his killing.

Divisional Crime Officer Southern Superintendent Tevita Lesu said that 
Buksh, a father-of-one, met his death through "manual strangulation". SP 
Lesu said they were chasing a number of leads but could not say at this 
stage whether the killing was the work of an individual or gang.

He said police were hoping to question some individuals in relation to the 
various "positive leads" they were working on.

Buksh, 25, of Laucala Beach, was found hanging from a nylon rope at a 
bridge in a secluded area at Veisari early on Saturday morning by a man 
collecting firewood.

His vehicle was later found abandoned at Ono Street in Samabula with 
some items missing from inside. SP Lesu has called on people with any 
information that might help in their investigations into the killing to come 
forward.

He was reacting to unconfirmed reports that a Pajero was seen at the 
crime scene about two hours before the victim's body was found.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fiji Times
(Suva, Fiji)
August 28, 2007

Cab drivers think up safety means

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

MOST people who assault public transport operators, often with fatal 
results, are opportunists says Divisional Crime Officer Southern 
Superintendent Tevita Lesu.

Superintendent Lesu feels that taxi drivers are not being specifically sought 
out by criminals but were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"It's generally not a pre-planned thing, it just happens. They see the drivers 
have money and act there and then," he said.

His comments come as the Fiji Taxi Union expressed concern about the 
dangers posed on their members, given that there have been many attacks 
on taxi drivers over the years.

Union president Rishi Ram has called for the police force to be armed with 
guns to deter offenders. Taxi and van drivers have been murdered in 
separate incidents at Labasa Navua and Lami in past weeks.

Police have not ruled out foul play after the body of Murad Buksh was found 
hanging from a bridge at Veisari outside Lami on Saturday morning.

SP Lesu said a post-mortem examination of the victim to find out the 
cause of death, was to have been conducted yesterday.

Police have interviewed several people but no one has been arrested in 
connection with the death.

Police meanwhile, continue to meet with taxi drivers in an effort to keep 
them safe from attacks.

"We have been having meetings with taxi proprietors and advising them on 
safety tips, simple things such as means of communication how to have an 
intelligent appraisal of passengers they pick," said police spokesman 
Assistant Superintendent Ulaiasi Ravula.

ASP Ravula said the call by the taxi union for police to be armed would 
have to be discussed before a decision was made on it.

"We have had similar calls before. It is a management decision where 
various factors have to be considered.

"The recent incidents are not categorised as organised in nature because 
arrests have been made within 24 hours or more after the actual incident," 
he said.

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