Indian nightclub owner cries EXTORTION!

BULAWAYO-based Indian investor Uathalil Sasi Samanhraj is accusing some local businessmen and a well-known war veteran of allegedly extorting him of various amounts of money and interfering in his business, which has ultimately led to the closure of his night club.

However, the allegations have since been rubbished by some of the businessmen, who labelled him a "paranoid crook", who was desperately trying to justify his stay in Zimbabwe.

Samanhraj, warmly referred to as Raj is the major shareholder in the company that runs Cloud Nine Emirates Restaurant and Pub, which shut its doors last Tuesday.

Raj, who is nursing wounds from an alleged assault, alleged that local businessmen — among others Eddie Chivero, Carlos Tavengwa, the war veteran (name supplied) including some alleged security officers, took money from him under the disguise that they would help him in the fight over the control of the nightclub and also to secure a work permit.

Raj made the allegations while admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital last week.

"They all took money from me under the guise of assisting me in sorting out the issues with my passport and permits. They never sorted anything out. There was a time I totally had no money and was stuck at home following the Norman (Kaviza) saga where he had told me to hide, as immigration details allegedly wanted to deport me. During that time I got in touch with Carlos, who asked for money from me and I had to sell my fridge to give him. The fridge was sold for $200, which he said he needed to give to Eddie to go to Victoria Falls to sort my documents. I never got any feedback or receipts for that transaction.

He then asked me for an extra $150, which I gave him while in his car on 28 March at around 6:30 pm," he said before going further to implicate Chivero.

"Eddie took $525 from me. The first transaction was done with Taibu (Tatenda), where he was given $250. After that he said he had paid immigration officers in Harare. In total he took $525 and I never got any feedback of what happened," claimed Raj.

He went on to claim that a war veteran had also extorted him of $600, saying that the war vet said he had ties with a senior government official.

" . . . in total he took $600 claiming that he would facilitate for me an audience with the senior government official. He also said that he would arrange that my paper work be processed smoothly and also get me protection from people that were trying to benefit from my business. All this and plundering has led to the closure of the club," said Raj, before diverting the issue to the owner of the building, whom he also accused of assault. This was after he had been spotted at the premises taking away property at night early this week, allegedly against a court order.

"When he was confronted he became violent and head butted one of the guys who was with the owner of the building (Isaiah Shonhiwa), but no one ever beat him up, maybe he got injured when he head-butted that guy," a source said.

Shonhiwa, told our sister paper, B-Metro, that Raj was never assaulted, adding that he was a "fabricator of stories", who sought to tarnish his image.

"The matter is being handled by professionals, the ZRP, who will establish what transpired on the day," he was quoted as saying by B-Metro.

When Raj was asked on what steps he had taken to protect his investment, he said he had reported most of the incidents to the police, which include the gassing of patrons in the club, cutting of his car tyres and smashing of his wind screen by unknown people.

"I reported most of these things to the police but no one was arrested and there was no conclusive result to the investigations.

Also for the sake of keeping the Zimbabwe investment I never reported to the Indian embassy, as I wanted to preserve ties between the two nations," said Raj.

Contacted for comment over the allegations the accused businessmen said Raj was merely trying to prolong his stay in Zimbabwe and was desperate to find a way to do so.

Carlos Tavengwa said he was surprised why Raj would make such allegations.

"I helped that guy when he was losing his business. I went and got him out of his house when he had lost hope. He had even lost weight and was frail when I found him. For him to accuse me and lay such malicious allegations is a shame on his part.

He, as you can see from these messages, nagged me to sell his fridge to get money to sort his paperwork. He is very ungrateful and malicious to have said such," said Tavengwa.

Chivero said Raj was merely trying to use the press to push his own hidden agenda.

"He is lying about people. Carlos called me and told me about his situation and that Raj was desperate for assistance and I did help him. When I was given $250 by Taibu I told them that the money was not enough and that all they had given me was enough for fuel. I went to Harare to sort this mess and stayed in a hotel for two nights and paid the bill from my own pocket. I have messages to prove this communication. If I extorted money from him why didn't he report to the cops? Raj is a liar and is probably a fugitive in India and is just trying to prolong his stay in Zimbabwe," said Chivero.

The accused war veteran could not be reached for comment, as his phone went unattended until the time of going to press.