- Brian Kiplimo’s hopeful journey in Dubai has turned into a nightmare after he was assaulted by a passenger in a taxi
- Captured in a viral video, the attack has left him fearing for his safety, while he struggles to secure his passport and return home to Kenya
- Now stranded, broke, and desperate, the 26-year-old is pleading for help from both the government and his employer
What began as a hopeful journey for 26-year-old Brian Kiplimo has unravelled into fear, uncertainty and a desperate plea to return home.
Source: UGC
The young Kenyan driver, whose assault by a passenger in a Dubai taxi was captured in a viral video, now says he no longer feels safe in the Gulf.
When did Kiplimo move to Dubai?
According to the Nation, Kiplimo is appealing to the government to help him retrieve his passport so he can travel back to Kenya.
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Kiplimo’s story began in August, just three months ago, when he secured a job with Kabi Taxi Company in Dubai, determined to build a better life.
However, what seemed like a fresh start took a devastating turn on November 8 when he accepted what seemed like an ordinary ride.
Only one of the listed passengers entered the car, a calm, soft-spoken man heading on a short 2.5-kilometre journey from Dubai Harbour to JBR.
How Kiplimo was attacked
Kiplimo verified his details and began the ride, unaware that danger was silently sitting behind him. About 600 metres before reaching the destination, the passenger shifted seats.
“I did not read any ill motive. I thought maybe he was not comfortable,” he recalled.
Moments later, the man grabbed him by the shoulders, then by the neck.
Panicking and running out of air, Kiplimo instinctively let go of the steering wheel as he struggled to break free. The vehicle veered off the road, slamming into a pavement.
In desperation, he honked repeatedly, hoping someone would hear him. The blaring sound startled the assailant, giving Kiplimo a split second to unbuckle his seatbelt, jump out of the car, and run.
Kiplimo unhappy with Dubai employer
A passing motorcyclist who witnessed the chaos helped him call police and an ambulance. Kiplimo was taken to Rashid Hospital, his neck swollen and his voice barely audible.
But even as he sought justice, the obstacles began piling up as he was told to pay for his medical report, money he did not have, until friends contributed some money for him.
“For a whole week, I begged my employer to help me get treatment. I was turned away,” he said.
When Kiplimo sought help at the Kenyan Consulate, officials intervened and urged the company to assist him.
But when he returned, the support he hoped for was replaced with frustration as he was accused of having absconded from duty.
I could barely speak. How can you work when you can’t even breathe properly?” he asked.
Source: UGC
Why Kiplimo wants to return to Kenya
Then came a phone call warning that he would be marked as a runaway employee, a label that in the UAE can lead to arrest.
With his health deteriorating and fear for his safety growing, Kiplimo says he asked for his passport so he could return home. Instead, he was told he would have to pay to get it back.
Stranded, sick, broke, and in a foreign country, Kiplimo is no longer interested in the job and wants to return home.
He now lives in fear of being picked up by authorities or further targeted following the online attention his case has received.
His plea is simple: he wants to come home, recover, and follow his case from a place where he feels safe.
What happened to Dubai man who attacked Kiplimo?
Meanwhile, there has been little information regarding the whereabouts of the rogue passenger who attacked Kiplimo.
After the incident, he remained seated for a few seconds before moving to the driver’s seat and driving off in the stolen taxi.
Many hope that he will soon be arrested and charged since his face was captured on CCTV cameras.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
