PH taxi driver Afteba Huggi- ns will appear before a Siparia magistrate today, charged with the rape of a female Special Reserve Police constable.
Huggins, 33, of South Oropouche, was charged yesterday with attempted murder, rape, false imprisonment and robbery by Sgt Gokool.
Huggins, who is married and has three children, was arrested on Monday after a manhunt was ordered by South Western Division Snr Supt Inraj Balram. A team of officers, including Insp Ramphal, Sgt Gokool, Cpl Ramlochan, WPC Vesprey, PC Swan and PC Narine, found him in the South Oropouche area. Police said a trace showed he has a pending court matter for rape.
According to reports, the SRP was expected to report for duty at a polling station to provide security for Monday's Local Government elections.
She told police that she entered a taxi in La Romaine around 3 am and was the only passenger.
The driver stopped at a service station for fuel but instead of taking her to the polling station afterwards drove to the secluded area in South Oropouche, where he robbed her of jewelry and her police jacket. He then raped her until she fought with him and was able to get away.
It was alleged that when she ran off, he fired two shots behind her but the bullets missed and the gun stuck. Yesterday, investigators from other districts interviewed Huggins in relation to relative offences in their area.