New charges against Simon

FORMER world champion boxer Harry Simon is once again facing allegations of assault outside the boxing ring.

This time, two young Windhoek residents are alleging that Simon made himself guilty of violent and threatening behaviour during and after a drunken, bourbon whisky-soaked visit to a Windhoek nightclub, during the early hours of Sunday morning. The two youths have registered their complaints against Simon with the Namibian Police.One of them is claiming that he was pistol-whipped by Simon and punched by one of the boxer’s bodyguards while they were in effect kidnapping him from the club in the early on Sunday morning.The other complainant claimed that he had Simon pointing a pistol at him and threatening him that he would be killed shortly before Simon allegedly used the same pistol to strike his friend over the head, leaving him with an open wound that had to be stitched up at a hospital at the capital on Sunday.Both young men asked not to be identified when they made their claims to The Namibian.They claimed that they feared retribution if their identities were revealed.Simon could not be reached for comment on Monday or yesterday.His manager, Ellison Hijarunguru, told The Namibian yesterday that he had asked the boxer about the allegations, and had been told that they were not at all true.A Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer James Matengu, confirmed yesterday that charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and pointing of a firearm had been laid against Simon.He said the Police had by yesterday not yet been able to find Simon, but that he would be charged once he had been traced.Matengu added that Simon had also laid a charge in connection with the claimed events of early Sunday.He has complained to the Police that a cellphone of his, valued at some N$7 000, was stolen from a bar counter of the same nightclub, and that he suspected that it had been taken by a friend of the two men now accusing him, Matengu related.The Police have been informed that Simon had wanted his two accusers to help him find their friend whom Simon suspected of the theft, but they were reluctant to help, and this upset the boxer in some manner, Matengu indicated.One of the duo who had laid the charges against Simon denied this scenario involving the cellphone yesterday.He added that Simon had also approached him yesterday to ask him to contact the boxer’s manager.The complainant indicated that he understood this approach to have been an attempt to get him to withdraw the charge that he had laid against Simon.The two youths have registered their complaints against Simon with the Namibian Police.One of them is claiming that he was pistol-whipped by Simon and punched by one of the boxer’s bodyguards while they were in effect kidnapping him from the club in the early on Sunday morning.The other complainant claimed that he had Simon pointing a pistol at him and threatening him that he would be killed shortly before Simon allegedly used the same pistol to strike his friend over the head, leaving him with an open wound that had to be stitched up at a hospital at the capital on Sunday.Both young men asked not to be identified when they made their claims to The Namibian.They claimed that they feared retribution if their identities were revealed.Simon could not be reached for comment on Monday or yesterday.His manager, Ellison Hijarunguru, told The Namibian yesterday that he had asked the boxer about the allegations, and had been told that they were not at all true.A Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer James Matengu, confirmed yesterday that charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and pointing of a firearm had been laid against Simon.He said the Police had by yesterday not yet been able to find Simon, but that he would be charged once he had been traced.Matengu added that Simon had also laid a charge in connection with the claimed events of early Sunday.He has complained to the Police that a cellphone of his, valued at some N$7 000, was stolen from a bar counter of the same nightclub, and that he suspected that it had been taken by a friend of the two men now accusing him, Matengu related.The Police have been informed that Simon had wanted his two accusers to help him find their friend whom Simon suspected of the theft, but they were reluctant to help, and this upset the boxer in some manner, Matengu indicated.One of the duo who had laid the charges against Simon denied this scenario involving the cellphone yesterday.He added that Simon had also approached him yesterday to ask him to contact the boxer’s manager.The complainant indicated that he understood this approach to have been an attempt to get him to withdraw the charge that he had laid against Simon.