A PAINTER who moonlighted as an illegal taxi driver has been jailed for a month. The 35-year-old Bangladeshi man admitted illegally using a private car as a taxi.

He was arrested in Manama by traffic police in August, for illegally picking up passengers and charging money to take them to their destinations, the Lower Criminal Court heard.

The defendant told police he had only been moonlighting as a cabbie for two days, to supplement his income.

He said he had been working for a decorating contracting company for 15 years and needed extra money.

"I took my friend's car and started picking up passengers and dropping them where they wanted to go and charging them money for the service," said the defendant.

He was arrested after a traffic patrol saw him picking up passengers near the American Mission Hospital, Manama.

"I started this taxi business just two days ago, because I wanted to increase my income," he said at the time of his arrest.

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