A group of Namibians who were convinced to pay N$65 000 each for a failed trip to the UK said they only trusted Vezemba Rodman Katjaimo with their money because he is an elected councillor.
The Katutura Central constituency councillor orchestrated a scheme last year for Namibians to attend the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, which saw a group of 198 so-called sports fanatics losing close to about N$12.9 million.
Details about the trip have later emerged suggesting that the Commonwealth Games were simply a guise used by Katjaimo and his group to go and seek asylum in the UK.
Their journey hit a sudden cul-de-sac in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates after immigration officials informed them that they don’t have the requisite documentation and background to attend an event of the Commonwealth Games’ stature.
It is believed that the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) councillor used his public office for self-gratification to solicit funds from desperate individuals.
“We would not have trusted him with our money if he was just an ordinary person. We were convinced because he is a councillor, he will not do anything to scam us. We did not know councillors can also rob their people,” said one of the disgruntled victims Ivone Tjisemo.
Tjisemo who is unemployed said her mother and uncle contributed money for her to go watch Namibian sprinter Christine Mboma strut her stuff on the international stage.
“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. I was looking forward to visiting the UK and seeing Christine Mboma running in person,” she said.
Another victim, Elvis Nguarambuka (36) said he paid N$65 000 for his girlfriend “to go have a good time in the UK”.
“We were told that the amount is inclusive of everything including flight tickets, accommodation, food, pocket money etc. It was not an opportunity to miss and we trusted him because he says he is a born again and a man of God,” Nguarambuka said.
Meanwhile, another victim, Puvee Hukununa (24) claims the failed trip has disadvantaged her because she intended on pursuing her studies this year but her father doesn’t have enough finances to fund her studies anymore.
She wants Katjaimo to refund her so she goes to school.
Asked if she would still have pursued her studies had she gone to the UK, she shyly said, “right now I am relying on that money for my studies.”
Nguarambuka claimed that Katjaimo has been refunded about N$700 000 by Qatar Airways but he only refunded certain individuals.
“I particularly only got N$22 000, some got N$15 000 while others received as little as N$1 500,” he said.
The victims flocked to Katjaimo’s office yesterday to demand their money.
Upon our arrival at his office, Katjaimo was not available and he apparently threatened not to refund his victims if they inform the media.
“He said we will not receive a single penny if we tell the media,” Nguarambuka said.
The group threatened to take action should Katjaimo fails to refund them.
“We are yet to discuss the way forward. As you can see, we are all Hereros here and he is too, so we will find a way,” he said.
Approached for a comment, Katjaimo said the issue is being used to defame him.
“The plan appears to be, let’s call him corrupt even without facts and if it’s repeated long enough it will stick.
“Those attempts will fail time and time again, but my conscience remains clear, If this harassment and lies continue to be perpetuated against me, I will be left with no choice but to seek recourse at relevant avenues,” he said.
He further questioned what a refund for a full amount entails “if you pay for tickets and games and accommodation, and that money is not refundable by the service providers, how do you expect me to refund that which is not refunded to me.”
Probed on the matter, PDM’s leader McHenry Venaani said he has only heard from the chairman of the committee that three disciplinary hearings were conducted with Katjaimo.
“We are yet to receive their findings. So, it’s a matter that is receiving our utmost attention,” Venaani said recently.
Pending the outcome of the internal investigation, the 45-year-old also conceded that the party has suffered reputational damage as consequence.
“Any person who is in a controversial matter, does in one or another way affect the party because it is not good especially when leaders are fighting in the media… people should eschew from those controversies because they don’t build the party. They take from the brand. That is why we took action to say, let’s look at what happened,” he said, adding that there are unverified claims that Katjaimo has recovered around N$4 million out of the possible N$13 million.
- ashikololo@nepc.com.na