Obrein Simasiku
Omuthiya-The modelling event meant to raise funds for the medical expenses of a three-year-old boy, Tangi Amutenya Nakambuli, who suffers from a congenital heart defect known as an atrial septal defect, has turned sour as one of the organizers vanished with some of the sponsorship money.
The heart defect can only be repaired through cardiac surgery and is to be done in Cape Town, South Africa at an estimated cost of N$350,000.
The family has been struggling to raise funds since his diagnosis in September last year, and this was one of the reasons to host the fundraising event.
However, one of the organizer of Miss Othithiya 2017, Naftal Iileni, who is the chairperson of Oshikoto Regional Youth Development, vanished into thin air with part of the money intended to pay for artistes, the master of ceremonies and DJs who graced the occasion and Ashikoto could not manage to settle the amounts in full.
This has left his co-organiser, Risto Ashikoto, in hot water. He says his life is under threat from people that participated in the modelling event on December 30, who are now demanding their full payment.
This did not settle well with the aggrieved parties. As a result some artistes confiscated Ashikoto’s cellphone, a pair of Nike sneakers and his neck chain.
“My life is under threat since that day – I am being nagged day and night. I was nearly beaten and stabbed by the people that day because they wanted their money. What I collected was not enough to settle everyone, hence I had to give each a certain amount but they wanted the money in full, which I still don’t have at the moment,” explained Ashikoto.
“Now people are made to believe that I am a crook and ran away with the money but that is not the case. The chairperson (Iileni) disappeared just after the event and his phone has been off ever since. He had part of the money, which was meant to pay for the entertainment, and he just vanished. He should come out and clear my name, everyone should know because these people are at my throat,” stressed Ashikoto.
The total expense for entertainment was N$8,900 and so far Ashikoto has managed to pay N$4,300. “From about N$1,700 generated from the sales of books, N$1,800 from tickets at the gate as well and N$2,900 from sponsors, I used to pay part of the expenses, thus I have no other money which they are insinuating that I ran away with,” he stated.
Efforts to get comment from Iileni proved futile as his mobile phone was unreachable.
All in all, Ashikoto said, the event was successful and well attended and assured that it will now be an annual event. “This year we will scrutinize and select a comprehensive preparatory committee so that none of this can repeat in the future,” he concluded.