Businessman ‘Zorro’ denies robbery charge

‘I AM innocent – in capital letters IN-NO-CENT – in this case,’ proclaimed businessman Josia Muhongo, stressing each syllable of the all-important word, in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court last week.

After more than a month in Police custody on charges of robbery and impersonating a Police officer, Muhongo used the opportunity of a bail application before Magistrate Jermaine Muchali to insist that he had been charged with alleged crimes that he did not commit.’I have not, ever in my life, impersonated a Police officer,’ Muhongo, who is also known as ‘Zorro’, told the magistrate. ‘I have never robbed anybody in my life.’He added: ‘It is in my personal interest to come to the bottom of this case in order to restore the good name and reputation of Josia Muhongo, the honesty and trust that was severely tarnished.’Muhongo (54) and another Windhoek resident, Michael Shidiwe (53), are accused of having robbed a Lebanese-born resident of Canada, Vicken Kaprelian, of about N$2,2 million in Klein Windhoek on May 16.It is alleged that Kaprelian was robbed by a group of men who, while pretending to be Police officers, stormed into a house in Klein Windhoek where Kaprelian was supposedly negotiating a business deal, and ended up stealing the money from him.Muhongo testified on Wednesday and Thursday last week that a business associate had introduced him to Kaprelian about two years ago.Early in May Kaprelian and a business partner travelled to Namibia, Muhongo said. Kaprelian had a keen interest in minerals in Namibia, and it was supposed to be an exploratory visit for him, he said.According to Muhongo, Kaprelian and his partner were especially interested in prospecting licences for diamonds and oil.Early during Kaprelian’s visit a close corporation in which he, Kaprelian and others are all members was registered under the name Kig Investments Namibia CC, Muhongo said.After a bank account had been opened in the corporation’s name, the equivalent of about N$2,8 million was transferred into the account from a Swiss bank, he testified.Kaprelian was the only person to have signing powers on the account, he said.Two days before the incident which led to his arrest, he accompanied Kaprelian to a bank in Windhoek, where Kaprelian withdrew N$2,3 million in cash from the account, Muhongo related.He said he had asked Kaprelian what he wanted to be with the money, and was told that Kaprelian had experienced that if he flashed his cash to someone in Africa, the person would ‘jump for the money’.Muhongo claimed that on May 16 Kaprelian asked him to take him to meet with Shidiwe. They ended up at Shidiwe’s house in Klein Windhoek. Kaprelian had taken a bag with N$2,2 million with him, Muhongo said.Kaprelian wanted to discuss an oil block deal with Shidiwe, Muhongo said.He related that he remained sitting in a lounge near the entrance of the house while Kaprelian and Shidiwe moved deeper into the house.About ten to fifteen minutes later Shidiwe returned to the lounge, while talking on his cellphone, Muhongo said.Then three men stormed into the house, he said. One was wearing a camouflage Police uniform, while two were in civilian clothing. They said they were Police officers and were investigating illegal activities, he said.One of the men gave an order that Muhongo, Shidiwe and Kaprelian should each be taken to a different Police station for questioning, Muhongo said.Before he had been interrogated, though, the supposed officer with him received a phone call and then informed him that a superior officer had ordered that he should be released.He later went to meet Kaprelian again at the hotel where he was staying, and then found himself being arrested, Muhongo testified.’I’ve got no finger in the alleged offences,’ Muhongo insisted.The bail application is continuing on July 10.Muhongo is represented by defence lawyer Orben Sibeya. Public Prosecutor Taodago Gaweseb is appearing for the State.