A Joyous day of drinking reportedly turned nasty for Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Jameson Timba, after he was allegedly smacked at a local club over a cigarette. Jameson Timba is also the Deputy Minister of Media, Information and Publicity.
According to reports from Belgravia Sports Club, Minister Timba was slapped by a patron, identified as George, who is a senior manager at a government parastatal.
Minister Timba, however, denied being slapped as he claimed to be out of the country on the day in question.
"There is nothing like that. I was out of the country. Maybe it's someone trying to create a smoke out of nothing," he claimed.
Contacted for comment yesterday, George could not shed much light into the issue saying he could not talk of the club brawl over the phone.
"I cannot talk to you over the phone. I don't know you facially so I am not going to say anything concerning that issue," he said.
However, Belgravia Sports Club chairman, Petros Kagwere confirmed the incident. He added that they had set up an independent committee to come up with a report of what transpired.
"We say no to violence at our club. Barbaric behaviour is not tolerated at all. We will take him (George) for a hearing to account for his behaviour," said Kagwere.
According to sources who spoke to our news crew, George is currently barred from Belgravia Sports Club and is now understood to be drinking at a club in the Avenues area.
Smoking is not allowed in the Belgravia Sports Club premises and those feeling like smoking are supposed to do so outside. On the day in question, Minister Timba is alleged to have offered a cigarette lighter to a guest who went on to breach the club rules by lighting his cigarette. This is believed to have incensed George who took the law to his hands and allegedly smacked Minister Timba.
According to this version of events, George targeted the minister on the basis that he was a member of the club who was fully aware of the no-smoking rule. Thus the Minister should not have provided the cigarette lighter to the guest.
A senior member of the club is said to have talked to the minister into keeping the matter in-house to protect his reputation.
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