Part Three (Part One, Part Two)

My airline ticket was booked for July 15. On July 6 I was taken off a coach and held in police custody for about 2 hours.

I had been traveling from Lilongwe to Ntcheu where Azikiwe and I were hosting a party for the children. This was going to be my last chance to interact with them before leaving. We were giving them each a mosquito net and some clothes along with a lot of food and hopefully some good memories.

I’ve been in Malawi for a total of 12 months over the past 4 years. I have never been asked for a passport.

I wasn’t surprised when a police officer began to chat with me on the coach. Malawians like to talk to mzungus. I was friendly with him at first, answering his questions and asking him questions of my own.

Finally he asked to see my passport. I had the passport with me but it was useless since the visa was expired by 6 weeks.

I told the officer that my passport was in town at the home of my friend. He insisted that I get off and call my friend. I tried to convince him to believe me and let me go but he insisted. Once off the coach he took me to the police station which was a small building with three rooms. I noticed an Indian man waiting inside.

He too had been pulled off a coach.

After several attempts I was finally able to reach Kalirani who said he’d bring my ticket and the letter stating that my TEP had been approved. Waiting for him was pure torture. I was terrified that I’d be put in jail. I couldn’t control myself. I sat in a corner and sobbed wishing everyone would just leave me alone. The officers kept trying to chat with me but I was unable to answer.

Finally, I calmed down and was able to have a conversation with a plain clothed officer. He seemed impressed by the fact that I was helping children in his home district. At some point I was told that I was free to go but I chose to stay. I was told that I’d face road blocks all the way to Ntcheu today and every day for the next two weeks because they were in the middle of a blitz. Fearing a similar situation further away from Kalirani I chose to remain and wait for him.

When he arrived and we showed the documents to the officers they became agitated. They insisted that they would have to arrest me. They said I had not paid for my work permit and as such I was not legally staying in Malawi. The boss of immigration was called. Now my fear was almost unbearable. The boss knew my whole story.

The person they spoke to advised them to seize my passport. I was told to appear at the immigration office the following day by 8 am to retrieve it. I was allowed to proceed to Ntcheu with a letter stating that my documents had been seized.

Once in Ntcheu I feared returning to Lilongwe. What if I was put in jail until I was deported? I went to the clinic and got a doctor’s note stating that I had malaria and needed bed rest. The note cost me $12 and was very detailed. Malawians take sickness very seriously.

The following week I returned to Lilongwe. On Tuesday I went to retrieve the passport at immigration. I was told to return before my flight on Thursday so that I could be escorted to the airport. I asked if I was going to be escorted in handcuffs. They assured me I would not be cuffed.

On Thursday I went to immigration where, after a long wait, I was given my passport and a long paper. The paper apparently indicated that I was to be deported. To be deported means never being allowed to return to Malawi, on any passport. I tried to explain that I couldn’t be deported but no one listened to me.

Kalirani spoke quietly to the officers in Chichewa. He was told that if I was willing to “help out” I wouldn’t be deported. I was furious but had to agree. Kalirani gave the immigration officer 10 000k (about $85). She rode to the airport with us and was very friendly, of course. At the airport she escorted me through and my passport was stamped “EXIT.”

I’ve now learned that Kalirani had to give $40 to each of the officers back at the office. This meant that he had to go and beg friends to lend him money as I’d not left enough to pay this amount. His donation has apparently enables me to return to Malawi without trouble. He was told that the deportation papers had been destroyed. I’ve asked him to follow up on this next week and be sure that I’m safe to return. If I do go back to Malawi I will be going to Blnatyre not Lilongwe to get my visas.

Needless to say I was thrilled to be on the airplane headed home. It is wonderful to walk down the street and not worry about someone asking for my passport.

I’m glad that ordeal is over!

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