A Chinese national was violently attacked last Tuesday in the region of Soanierana Ivongo, while funds intended for the payment of workers’ wages. The facts took place in the Manjato forest, Fokontany under the commune of Antififotsy, district of Soanierana Ivongo. The victim, a Chinese, is an official of the Chinese company Sinohydro, responsible for the rehabilitation of the RN5 national road. It was on board a 4 × 4 vehicle of the company, transporting a large sum, or 20 million ariary, in the direction of the rural commune of Manotpaana. According to initial information collected by the gendarmerie, the convoy was targeted by a group of five armed individuals. The attackers, dressed in red vests and yellow similar to those worn by the workers of Sinohydro, intercepted the vehicle and forced the driver to stop. After stealing the keys, they attacked the passengers. The Chinese was injured in the head during the assault. The criminals then fled into the forest with their loot: 20 million ariary in cash as well as two mobile phones. Alerted, the territorial brigade of Soanierana Ivongo immediately mobilized. Dams have been installed and rating operations were launched in the surrounding areas. An investigation is currently underway to identify and challenge the authors of this attack. Local authorities do not spread any track, including that of a premeditated act involving any internal complicities. This case relaunches the question of the safety of expatriate personnel and the transport of funds in the landlocked areas of the Big Island.
YV SAM