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Wednesday, February 28, 2001 - Web posted at 8:58:36 AM GMT Harry goes 'bump' in the night POLICE in Windhoek are investigating allegations that World Boxing Organisation (WBO) junior middleweight champion, Harry Simon "bumped" a young woman with his car and then "spat" on her outside a Windhoek club at the weekend. Contacted for comment on his mobile telephone, the boxer rejected the accusations. According to Simon, there were rumours that he received N$28 million for his recent win in the ring and for this reason, he claimed, some people might have influenced the young woman to "get money from me". However, Police spokesman Chief Inspector Hophni Hamufungu confirmed to The Namibian that a docket related to the incident had been opened." "I couldn't get details but there is such a case [involving the boxer]," he said yesterday. The latest case involving the world champion, whose record in the ring is top class, is registered in the Police occurrence book. The incident involved Simon and his out-of-the-box silver Mercedes-Benz and took place outside Kudissanga, a venue popular with club-goers, at around 04h00 on Sunday. According to an eyewitness, the boxer and a friend made a U-turn in the road outside the club and bumped into Nangula Kauluma who was standing near the pavement on the opposite side of the street. The luxury German sedan allegedly "knocked" the young woman twice. Initially a group of friends who were with Kauluma were under the impression that the boxer was "playing". The victim did not sustain serious injuries - the vehicle had reportedly not yet picked up speed - but was left bruised and "limping"." "She was limping for a while ... she was kind of sore... the Police said this is serious ... nobody is allowed to bump another person," said an eyewitness. After being hit a second time, Kauluma apparently became agitated and slammed her hands down on Simon's vehicle. At this the boxer's friend jumped out of the car and allegedly showered her with verbal vulgarities." "He (the friend) wanted to beat her up... he was using rude words like 'bitch why are you standing on the road'," said an eyewitness, who asked that his name be with held out of fear of possible repercussions from the boxer's camp. Shortly after being threatened by Simon's friend, the boxer reportedly got out of his car and spat on Kauluma." "She had disgusting stuff [on her] .... she went to the Police and told them to take samples of the saliva for a DNA test but they referred her to the hospital," said the eyewitness. By the time the complainant's party got hold of a doctor, after being referred from pillar-to-post, the saliva had dried and the doctor said there was nothing he could do about it. Charged Simon, who has in the past been accused of assaulting people at night clubs: "She hit my car on the bonnet and then I looked at her... and my friends said don't even speak to her because she is gonna be a big story in the newspapers I didn't even open my window. I just went to sleep." "Added the boxer: "She bumped herself into my car I didn't mean to hurt anyone I don't trouble people maybe she found people who said 'go and say he bumped you so that you can make money'. People will look at me with bad eyes because of that small thing. Now it will be 'Harry Simon did this'." "On allegations that he spat on Kauluma, he said: "I didn't do that. I swear to my God I am not that stupid to go and spit on a lady. I don't have my mother I respect every lady on earth I don't respect fathers because we fathers can run away." "Kauluma declined to comment on the incident. Simon said the case should go to court and that he would not try and persuade Kauluma to withdraw the charges, as he has done on at least one occasion previously. |
PO Box 20783 - Windhoek - 42 John Meinert Street Tel: +264 (61) 236970 - Fax: +264 (61) 233980 e-mail: info@namibian.com.na webmaster@namibian.com.na
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