Swapo ‘swindler’ breaks silence
Accuses ex of being bitter
The SPYL leader conceded that the complainant had given him money, but retorted that he did the same for her whenever the need arose.
Regional secretary of the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) in the Kavango West Region, Boniphatius Muronga says he and the mother of his child - who got him arrested last week - have always exchanged money with no obligation to pay it back.
He was arrested after allegedly forging correspondences which enabled him to swindle money out of his then girlfriend, who said the Swapo politician deceived her out of N$105 000.
Muronga (34) faces 16 counts of fraud after he allegedly forged the signature of Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa and used President Hage Geingob’s name to extort money from his then girlfriend.
He is out on N$8 000 bail after he appeared in the Rundu Magistrate’s Court last week.
I am innocent
Muronga, who said he felt prosecuted in the media and in public, this week told Namibian Sun he was arrested because the complainant does not want to accept that their relationship has ended.
While he acknowledged that she had given him money, he said he too used to give her money when she needed it.
“It was never a loan that I got from her, it was just people in love who were giving each other money. Even if I take my bank statement, what I gave her is even more than what she gave me. This is just a relationship that failed,” he said.
“I maintain that I am very much innocent of those allegations. That’s what I am waiting for the court to determine.
“It’s fine, I was arrested because that is what she wanted. But what if I go to the police and tell them to arrest her for the money I also gave her?
“We have an independent court of law. With such huge amounts of money, there will always be bank statements, which the court will also use when prosecuting a person.
“For someone to say they gave me N$40 000 and tomorrow you gave me N$10 000 and so on; if there is proof, the court will prove that. I remain innocent,” he said.
“I don’t owe anyone money. If I owe her, then she also owes me.”
Unlawful arrest
Muronga claims he was arrested unlawfully, saying he was issued a warning in February and was perplexed when he was arrested last week without a proper warrant.
“The issue I want to correct with the media is that I fail to understand our justice system, especially our Namibian police force. If a person is on a warning statement, the docket must be sent to the Prosecutor-General for a decision,” he argued.
Forged letters
When asked about forged letters bearing his name, Muronga said he has no idea where they come from.
“I have no knowledge of those letters. I don’t know the source of those letters,” the politician said.
Namibian Sun recently reported that he allegedly used Swapo Party letterheads, stamps and Shaningwa’s signature to write fake letters to himself to defraud his then partner of money.
The letters stated that he was entitled to subsistence and travel (S&T) allowance, while others said he had been granted fishing rights. Another claimed he would be appointed as an ambassador, and he needed money for training.
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He was arrested after allegedly forging correspondences which enabled him to swindle money out of his then girlfriend, who said the Swapo politician deceived her out of N$105 000.
Muronga (34) faces 16 counts of fraud after he allegedly forged the signature of Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa and used President Hage Geingob’s name to extort money from his then girlfriend.
He is out on N$8 000 bail after he appeared in the Rundu Magistrate’s Court last week.
I am innocent
Muronga, who said he felt prosecuted in the media and in public, this week told Namibian Sun he was arrested because the complainant does not want to accept that their relationship has ended.
While he acknowledged that she had given him money, he said he too used to give her money when she needed it.
“It was never a loan that I got from her, it was just people in love who were giving each other money. Even if I take my bank statement, what I gave her is even more than what she gave me. This is just a relationship that failed,” he said.
“I maintain that I am very much innocent of those allegations. That’s what I am waiting for the court to determine.
“It’s fine, I was arrested because that is what she wanted. But what if I go to the police and tell them to arrest her for the money I also gave her?
“We have an independent court of law. With such huge amounts of money, there will always be bank statements, which the court will also use when prosecuting a person.
“For someone to say they gave me N$40 000 and tomorrow you gave me N$10 000 and so on; if there is proof, the court will prove that. I remain innocent,” he said.
“I don’t owe anyone money. If I owe her, then she also owes me.”
Unlawful arrest
Muronga claims he was arrested unlawfully, saying he was issued a warning in February and was perplexed when he was arrested last week without a proper warrant.
“The issue I want to correct with the media is that I fail to understand our justice system, especially our Namibian police force. If a person is on a warning statement, the docket must be sent to the Prosecutor-General for a decision,” he argued.
Forged letters
When asked about forged letters bearing his name, Muronga said he has no idea where they come from.
“I have no knowledge of those letters. I don’t know the source of those letters,” the politician said.
Namibian Sun recently reported that he allegedly used Swapo Party letterheads, stamps and Shaningwa’s signature to write fake letters to himself to defraud his then partner of money.
The letters stated that he was entitled to subsistence and travel (S&T) allowance, while others said he had been granted fishing rights. Another claimed he would be appointed as an ambassador, and he needed money for training.
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