Nigerian man reportedly beaten to coma for assaulting female Bolt driver in Kenya

An unidentified Nigerian man in Kenya has reportedly been beaten to a pulp by a mob after he physically assaulted a female Bolt driver in Kenya. This was reported on X (formerly Twitter) by a lady who identified herself as the driver’s daughter. Bolt further confirmed the matter, noting that the case is currently under investigation by the Kenyan police.

The victim’s daughter claims that the Nigerian man had hailed the cab through the Bolt app on Saturday night near Viraj International Academy in Mlolongo, along Katani Road. When the trip commenced, the alleged assailant reportedly turned aggressive towards the driver and started attacking her.

The man reportedly attacked the lady driver, identified simply as Lillian, with a stone and a shattered soda bottle, with the assailant reportedly striking her head repeatedly. The severity of the attack caused Lillian to lose control of her vehicle, ultimately leading it to veer off the road and end up in a pit.

In the ensuing commotion, the Bolt driver availed herself of an opportunity to exit the vehicle, quickly seeking safety. The incident drew the attention of the public who arrived at the scene. According to the driver’s daughter, the mob proceeded to beat up the assailant until he was in a coma. He was thereafter saved by members of the Kenyan police.

According to Techweez, the female driver suffered injuries as a result of the occurrence. Nonetheless, she is receiving medical care at Aga Khan Hospital and her recovery appears to be progressing well according to her daughter.

Bolt app response to the recent assault in Kenya

Following accusations that Bolt Kenya is yet to do anything about the assault of its driver, the company responded that it was deeply concerned about the incident and helping the police in its investigation. In a statement posted on their X platform, Bolt App Kenya remarked:

We are deeply concerned about this regrettable incident, as we firmly stand against violence within our system. We are presently looking into this issue and maintaining communication with all involved parties.

Bolt

The ride-hailing company said it is committed to collaborating with the police as they delve into the matter. However, given the sensitive nature of the case, it will refrain from further comments until the investigation is concluded.

Bolt asserts its cooperation with law enforcement to thoroughly investigate the incident. On the contrary, Lillian’s daughter stated that the police present at the scene refrained from arresting the suspect due to his critical condition.

This incident presents yet another challenge for Bolt Kenya, which is striving to enhance safety for both its drivers and clients.

Read more: Uber under fire in South Africa as passengers remain targets of late-night attacks

Bolt app is grappling with safety in Africa

Bolt is currently experiencing a stretch of torrid times on the African continent. In June, authorities in Kenya connected the e-hailing company’s app to the activities of a gang of two kidnappers in the country’s capital, Nairobi.

With the arrest of the two kidnappers, users in Kenya took to Twitter to narrate similar cases where drivers on the gig working platform had turned out to be gig working criminals. A tweep, Arthur Adema (@arthuradema1) claimed the app has been taken over by criminal elements, while also accusing the app company of shielding them.

Similarly, another Kenyan man, Ken Misiko, narrated his awful experience with another Bolt driver identified as Ezekiel who turned out to be a thief.

The Twitter user narrated how he had given a laptop to the driver for delivery, but the driver disappeared with the laptop and nothing was heard from him. Furthermore, the victim reported that after several attempts to reach the driver via phone call, the driver switched off his phone.

Mr. Misiko, the victim stated that the driver was driving a Suzuki Alto, which in his tweet, Bolt has since replied and assured to follow up with the case. Eventually, the man tweeted that the matter had been resolved as he was now in possession of his gadget.

This was coming as e-hailing drivers in Nigeria accused the company of being insensitive to their plight after its refusal to increase fares and accept a slash in commission following a fuel subsidy removal which saw an astronomical hike in fuel prices. In South Africa, drivers on the ride-hailing company, alongside Uber, were suspended from operating anywhere around the Soweto Malls following clashes with regular taxi drivers.

Read More: Bolt under fire in Kenya after authorities alleged the app was used for kidnapping