Prison Break
on Wendy Margolese (Zambia), 31/Mar/2011 08:33, 34 days ago
So what an exciting weekend.. Friday night I went out with my boys.. Jack and lennox and Driver 2 of his friends.. we had a great time. It was nice to hang out with them again; in fact we all said it had been too long! We had a really nice time..at the end of the night I was dropped off first, I had just got out of drivers car and my phone rang.. it was Trust our house boy he had been arrested. So off we went the group of us to the police station. We got there and there were 10 boys sitting on the ground of the police office. Trust is in the corner looking like he’s going to shit his pants. I asked to speak to the person in charge and they said in order to bail him out we’ll need to come back tomorrow morning starting at 6am, and they are doing me a favour because when they arrest someone on a Friday night they usually hold them until Monday. I asked what I could do to get him out tonight because I can’t bear the thought of him sleeping in the cell. (it’s 10 x 10 and disgusting and full with drunk men.. 1 of whom assaulted a woman standing in the office with her lip cut open) She says wait for my boss... I spoke to the boss and explained Trustis a good boy who has never been in trouble, he doesn’t drink.. or smoke, he’s always at work on time and does a good job. The man says wait here and I’ll see what I can do.. 30 minutes later he comes back from rounding up another group of 20 boys... all these young boys are being arrested forbeing “out of bounds” this means they were found walking after 10pm. Technically there is nothing illegal about walking after 10pm however for anyone younger than 20 something there is an unwritten rule that they shouldn’t be found walking around after 10pm or they can be arrested. To me this is a ridiculous practice.. the first officer told me they are cracking down on people to find the people responsible for stealing from the white people in Siavonga.. which sounds good but in actual fact the thieves are pros and they aren’t going to be amongst innocent 20 somethings..who are just having fun with their friends.. But I digress..The boss finally comes back and I plea Trusts’ case again.. He tells me to come with him.. He and 2 of his officers meet with me in private around the corner.. and he says we’re willing to help you.. You must help us.. What can you offer.. I know he’s asking for a bribe but I’m scared to offer because it’s illegal to bribe an officer.. so I say well I’m not certain I’m doing the right thing and I don’t want to get in trouble.. But I can give you 100 pin if you let him out tonight... (it usually costs 25 pin *5.00 to get someone out) He says well I’m also looking for a white wife... can you help me with that? I explain I’m married so I can’t and I’m a volunteer so I can’t afford more than 100 pin.. But I would be really grateful if he let him out.He told me to wait... he walked away and talked to his officers.. his officers came back and said he had accepted I paid them and Trust was set free. I took him to my house and he slept on the living room floor on my sofa cushions and left the following morning. Trust is the quietest shiest guy I know.. he’s a good kid and he’s always appreciative of the help I give him with anything. In the morning he said; I just want to say thank you.. I don’t know what I would have done without you. My heart melted.. Trust was really lucky.. usually when these kids get arrested, everything gets taken away immediately. But because Trust is young and was so scared they allowed him a phone call.. without this he would have been in jail until this morning. I have always appreciated having the perks of being white here in Zambia but I really appreciated a lot on Friday night... we would never have been able to get Trust out on Friday night if I wasn’t.