UNDERCOVER OF SUNDAY MORNING'S MIST... COPS OF KINSHASA / SOUS LE COUVERT DE BRUME ... FLICS DE KINSHASA

KINSHASA TENTATIVE D’ENLÈVEMENT

KINSHASA KIDNAPPING ATTEMPT

COP UNDERCOVER… OF KINSHASA MORNING MIST /  FLIC INFILTRE… SOUS LE COUVERT DE BRUME MATINALE DE KINSHASA

 

This was my very first time in Congo; I came to Congo on an official assignment for CELTEL. But coming off my experiences in other African countries I was very much on my guard, but the CELTEL protocol team re-assured me that there was nothing to worry about in Congo and I was safe. Purely by coincidence they informed me that random ID checks were routine proceed by undercover policeman dressed in civilian clothes.

I arrived my hotel, checked in and pretty much didn't worry about anything (I was assured that there was nothing to be worried about "I was safe and secure")

Sunday morning:

At approximately 7am I decided to take a walk... I wanted to experience the streets of Congo, just take a look around the neighborhood. While taking my pleasant peaceful walk, I noticed a car parked in an unusual location... there were no other cars parked on that side of the road. It appeared that this car would have had to drive over the sidewalk to get to where it was stationed "very unusual I might add"

I then began to see that they were occupants in the vehicle. I began bearing slightly to the right to avoid passing directly beside the car. The car was an older model Mercedes C class.

As I walked past the car the occupant at the wheel commanded me to halt and I stopped halted... Was the manner in which he said it that persuaded me to stop in my tracks.

Conversation went like this

Man: we are police 

: May I see your passport?

Initially I started speaking in French to them, however being a bit skeptical I moved to English, this to slow the process and throw them off a little

Man: can we see your passport?

I stated you’re in civilian attire… how do I know you’re police as you say, and asked them to show me their ID's first (all 4 of them had Kinshasa police photo ID's with them)

 He responded by saying, we’re undercover police

Hum this rang a bell, this is exactly what Celtel protocol had warned me about.

In any case I decided to continue to use my tactical measure of speaking English to throw them off guard and confuse them a little, and slow down the whole interrogation process down.

Me: my passport is back at the hotel

Man: oh you must have your passport with you at all times, so get inside the car and we'll drive you over there

I refuse stating it's just there you can follow me… or one of you may accompany me while you drive the car over there. They were clearly irritated by reluctance… to immediately obey a ‘policeman’

: This can go the easy way or the hard way he said… your choice

(Signs that something was amiss) I decided to go the hard way...

I saw that they were armed with night sticks and handcuffs, however no guns were visible at that particular moment.

A few questions I asked myself:

1. Firstly why did they not get out of the car?

2. Why did they not handcuff me in public?

3. Why did they permit me to continue to give them the run around, as opposed to getting out and quickly subdue me?

4. Why so many threats but no action?

5. I would later learn that two German nationals had been taken 2 days prior by a group of 4 men , they were taken about 30km’s out of town robbed stripped and released, but not killed

6. If I had not been ‘setup’ sort of speak by CELTEL protocol I would not have stopped on their demand… or even given them the time of day

He was speaking very poor English, so at least that part of my plan was working, and he demanded again that I get inside the car, but I refused.  The one seated at the rear of the car got out… positioning his door open and tried to ‘sandwich’ me in between him and the open door. I was like "hotdog in light bread" I kept on sliding’ out of his grip... Earlier as I rounded the car as the driver had told me to do to get to the only English speaking individual they observed me noting down the car plate number.

Alas!!! People started coming out into the streets.

There was a Traffic cop/warden who arrived at his post about 100 meters away and began directing traffic, I tried to whistle to get his attention but my mouth was so dry nothing came out. I started talking louder and louder but I did not run, I believed the assailants to surely be armed and I did not want to risk being shot in the back or head. (In-fact I didn't want to risk being shot at all) There were hand cuffs and a night sticks in the car as well, so I didn't want to take chances.

I was drawing attention, and soon after, the one trying to sandwich me jumped back into the car, the driver threw my ID card down on the ground and they sped off

I returned to my hotel and the hotel staff called the police. The chief of police came asked a few questions of the incident that took place... I gave him all the information I had (plate number, names in the ID cards and descriptions of the 4 men). And after a few days of investigations, the 4 men turned out to be "off duty police officers" They were caught and were also identified as well by the 2 German nationals.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY STROLL THAT TURNED OUT TO BE!!!