Detained at Immigration

Yes I was- Karen Boland and I. It was not one of my best experiences in Sierra Leone- but definitely one that I will remember. On the One-by-One teams last day in Bo, Karen and I had gone to town for I can't even remember why now, but what I do remember is that we decided to walk home. We had originally planned to take a Honda but since we accomplished what we needed to early we decided we would walk for a bit. I will tell you now that we should have taken the Honda.

As we were walking passed the Immigration Office here in Bo one of the men called out a greeting to us- so I in turn greeted him back. He asked us to come and once we were inside the gate everything changed. He asked to see my papers- My documentation. Well since we had just been at the market- where thieves seem to be in numbers. I did not have my passport with me. To be honest I only have it when I travel. Anyway we were trying to explain this to the man and he just seemed to want to talk a bit and call his boss. Now let's back up a moment. When I first arrived in Sierra Leone one of the first places I went was to the Immigration Office in Freetown. I wanted to know what the procedure was for my time here. I knew that I had a 1 year visa, but also that they only stamp my passport for one month at the airport. Anyway to make a long story just a tiny bit shorter- I had met with the head Immigration guy and arranged to get my Residence card the next time I came to Freetown (which happened to be the day after I was detained). He explained the process and even gave me his card with his personal number. So now back to the story- I mention this to the man and he says in a snippy voice something to the effect of it is not his place to call him, but I could call him and then we could go. So I get out my phone and call up MR. Moriba. He remembered who I was and said everything was still the same- just come in when I get there the next day. I explained my situation and he asked to talk to the man. I hand over the phone and hear a few interesting comments but after the man hangs up he says he still wants to wait for his boss who is on his way. AAHHGGG. He has suggested earlier that I leave Karen there while I go for my passport- I was not about to leave anyone there. Finally his boss shows up and we are escorted into his office. We again explain the situation and that all is in the works for my card and that I can go get my passport if he wants. He just wanted to show his power. He talked and talked and anytime we said anything he would switch what he was saying so that it fit against what we said- even if it was the exact opposite of what he had said moments before. What a mess. We could not leave and we could not explain ourselves and I could not call Mr. Moriba again. FINALLY he listened and believed my story, but then he turned on Karen. Oh great. So here we go again- explaining everything. After sometime they finally decided to let us go get the passports (well Karen's he was fine with me now for some reason) and had to return within the hour. But not before I was warned that this was my fault and that I had messed up. This time he would let me off, but the next time the police would be called the the "full extent of the law would come down on me." Now mind you- when I was at both the Immigration Office as well as at the Embassy in Freetown they had strongly suggested to me that I not carry my passport around. I had gone through all the appropriate channels to get my residence card- and really I am not sure what the law was going to come down on me for but.... I guess I have been warned.

As we are getting Honda's to head home I tell Karen that when I was given a ticket for parking the last time I was in Salone and had been escorted to the Road Authority Office, had the jeep break down as we were trying to get away, and then having to have the Road Authority people push start my vehicle- that was kinda funny- but there is nothing funny about this. She agrees and we head home. The Honda's wait for us and bring us right back. We head into the office again and Karen hands over her passport. He opens it up, looks for a few moments, and then in a deep, firm, strong voice carrying all the authority he thought he had he said, "SIT DOWN". umm okay. We sit and he says to Karen- "It says here you entered the country in 2007." AAAHHHHGGG did he not listen when we said Karen had been here 6 times and was he completely lying when he told us he checks peoples documentation often. We try to explain that there are a number of visas but you remember he just wanted to exert his power. We try to be patient and only help when we really think he will let us. Finally he allows Karen to find the right page. Then all of a sudden he wants to be our best friend. He tells me to mention him to Mr. Moriba when I see him. He also asks me to stop back in sometimes- oh yeah I can tell you that will be one of my favorite hang-out spots- and then just as we are leaving he asks us where we are from- what Nationality are we? are you kidding me? Were you not just reading Karen's passport that you have read so many others like it before? Well we just answer American. "Soviet Obama!" He says with a big smile. I say- it is not the Soviet of Obama- we are not like that and Karen just says, "I voted for McCain." on her way out. We were free- though the whole process may have only been 3 hours including our trip back to the home and back to the office again- it felt a whole lot longer. My love for Sierra Leone was severely shaken at that moment. I know the guy just wanted money from us but we were not going to give it to him. He had no reason to asks us for any. Anyway.....

I may have said it wasn't the least bit funny- but given a day or two distance from it all- it is quite funny. Some of the things he said... We have all had quite a few laughs over it. The best part- that we have come to use often now whenever someone has done something we are not pleased with is the "SIT DOWN" spoken with all his authority and power that he really didn't have. Mr. Moriba asked me the following day if they had let us go after he hung up. I explained this story and he laughed. He had told the man to release us and then told me they just wanted money and power. Well we had long ago figured that out.

Now I am the PROUD and COMFORTED owner of my own residence card. So I am officially a resident of Sierra Leone and no longer have to carry around my passport or be held at Immigration if I do not present my passport. So Mr. Benya- you just try to call the police and have me arrested and throw the full extent of the law on my head- I am ready. :)