Kennedy Joseph showing his injuries.
An attempt by two bandits to rob a bus early this morning with eight people on board proved futile when the driver fought back valiantly.
Kennedy Joseph, a 42-year-old carpenter from Morne Jacque, Choiseul, sustained a wound to the arm that required three stitches, but no one else was hurt in the attack that occurred around 1:30 a.m. along the Vieux Fort-Laborie Highway.
Joseph, who was treated at St. Jude Hospital and released, explained what happened in an exclusive interview with St. Lucia News Online (SNO) today.
Joseph said he was on his way to Laborie with seven other people on board – his girlfriend, her two children (males, ages 17 and 11), her father and mother, and two aunts – when a white “Rover” car overtook his slow-moving bus and “cut across”. Joseph said he had “moved aside” when his vehicle was being overtaken.
Joseph
To avoid hitting the car, Joseph said he stopped the bus suddenly. As the car blocked his way, Joseph said he noticed a man, with no mask, alight from the car and approached the bus and opened the sliding door in a rough way.
Noticing that the man was up to no good, Joseph drove off immediately, but the bus door fell off.
Joseph said he then stopped the vehicle to retrieve the door, with help from his girlfriend’s father. By this time, Joseph said they were attacked by two men from the white car, who started to throw punches.
Joseph didn’t back down. He said he fought back. During the altercation, he was stabbed in the elbow area.
Realising that they stood no chance against Joseph and his father-in-law, the men ran back to their car made “two U turns”, and “knocked” his bus and another car as they escaped.
Joseph said the bus, which he borrowed from a friend to transport the family to the social gathering in Vieux Fort town, sustained damages to the bumper and head lights.
He said the women and children in the vehicle were terrified at what happened.
Joseph said the men who attacked him were seen at the barbeque earlier.
“All the time they were watching us opposite Hobbies… they were looking in their car trunk,” Joseph said, adding that the men were obviously following them all this time.
He said none of the men wore masks and he was not sure what type of weapon was used in the attack. He noted that the men didn’t ask for money or anything, though he didn’t give them a chance to ask.
The Laborie Police Station confirmed that the incident occurred. One person is assisting police with their investigations.