THE police are hunting three bandits who robbed and shot a route 47 (East/West) minibus driver on Thursday night at Liliendaal Public Road, East Coast Demerara.

The driver is a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) and is expected to undergo a surgical operation to remove a bullet lodged in his left upper back.

The man has been identified as Malvin Hooper of Lot 35 Shirley Field-Ridley Square, Georgetown. He refused to exit his bus on Thursday night after he was robbed of $20,000 in cash and his cellphone.

The incident occurred when Hooper was at the Shell Service Station at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, making a purchase of fuel.

He was approached by three men who requested to be taken farther up the East Coast.

The 39-year-old man complied and while in the vicinity of the Ocean View Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, the robbers whipped out their guns and demanded that he hand over all his valuables.

Hooper handed over his cellphone and a sum of cash and was instructed to exit his vehicle, but he refused and was shot in the back.

The bandits made good their escape after he drove the bus into a trench.

Hooper was rushed to the GPHC by public-spirited citizens and is reportedly in a stable condition.

The bus has since been removed from the trench.

Relatives of Hooper said he is in hospital and nothing more when this newspaper visited his home on Friday.