Corruption – Episode 17

Corruption – Episode 17

© Akoto Alexander

After joining the highway and driving about 900meters Kwame Adjei’s car was stopped by a police officer.

Police Officer: Good day sir, you are very much aware of the reason why I stopped?

Kwame Adjei: Good day officer, until you tell me the reason for stopping me I won’t know your reason for doing that.

Police Officer: Well!!! Well!!! Well !!! I can see you are trying to play smart. I will do you the honour by telling you since you claim you don’t know. See I stopped you because you were overspeeding which is against the road safety regulation.

Kwame Adjei: I am sorry officer but I have an emergency in my car. My brother’s wife is sick and we are rushing her to the hospital.

Police Officer: Taking people to the hospital is the duty of the ambulance service so why didn’t you invite them over? (goes round the car)

Twum Boafo: Really? Officer are you doing this at this crucial time? You heard what my brother said and you know how bad the reception is over here in most of the villages around. Even so how many ambulances do we have in this region not to talk about a proper road demarcation.

Police Officer: (sees the insurance and road worthy on the car are expired) Oh so you know all this and you are even driving a car with the road worthy and insurance expired?

Kwame Adjei: Officer this car was just taken from the workshop because there was no car to convey my brother’s wife to the hospital.

Police Officer: Ah see how worn out your car tyres are and the one at the front left is even a winter tyre which is not good for African weather condition. Can I see your first aid box and your fire extinguisher?

Kwame Adjei: Ah officer I know is money you want so why don’t you tell me straightforward rather than delaying us unnecessary? How much should I give you so we can continue our journey to the hospital peaceful.

Police Officer: See erh your offences are many that when I send you to the station, you will be charged and sent to court for prosecution. I am very sure you don’t even have a driver’s license whiles driving and that alone comes with a million count penalty at the court of law. See erh give me 200 hundred cedis and get out of here.

Kwame Adjei: Ah officer where do you expect me to get such an amount at this time when the economy is in a shambolic state. Please in my pocket is 20cedis, please take 5cedis whiles I use the remaining to buy fuel for the rest of our journey.

Police Officer: Hey hold it there Mr, what insult are you trying to throw at me? Look at my arm, I am not a baby police or a constable. I am a full corporal awaiting my promotion to become a sergeant, if you want to insult me, find a better way of doing it rather than telling me what you just did.

Junior: Officer do you know who my father is?

Police Officer: Youngman and who is your father? Is he the IGP or the president? Didn’t your father tell you to shut up when your elders are talking.

Junior: My father is the new commander who has been transferred to this region.

Police Officer: (face changes) Are you sure of what you just said youngman?

Kwame Adjei: (plays smart) Are junior you shouldn’t have blown our cover out so easily. You should have waited for me to offer him the money first so that we could get him red handed. All the same in the law, attempting to commit a crime is like committing it and he stated his aim to us so it is still the same.

Twum Boafo: Well this tip off that came was indeed true even though some senior officer of this very region denied this act. Well I have been privileged to witness this myself and I will personally write to the PIPS director so that all the officers we have caught so far will be interdicted or betterstill desmise them from the police service.

Police Officer: (goes on his knees to plead) Oh sir please forgive me, my mother is very sick and my father has been a blind man for the past 8years. I have 7 children with 3 different women and I am the sole provider for everyone in my family, if I lose my job my family will perish from hunger.

Back at the City:

Mrs Nortey: Olivia, what is keeping him there? I hope your girl conveyed my message to him because time is what I don’t have now. Truth be told my tights are wet and I can feel my nipples are so erected like soldiers at the parade grounds.

Olivia: Becky are you that serious about the youngman? You barely know him and you are here busting bubbles for him. How sure are you that he will even give in into your demands?

Mrs Nortey: Oh Olivia, have you soon forgotten who I am? You know anything I want I get and at my own convinent time. On this earth now, money stops every nonsense and the only thing money can’t do is to wake a dead person up.

Olivia: Well I can see he is done and Emefa is saying something to him now, let’s wait and see the out come.

Emefa: (walks back to her madam’s table) Madam please I conveyed your message to him and also alerted him that you settled his bill for him.

Mrs Nortey: Very good my dear, do well to see me when I am leaving so that I find something for you for the good work you have done.

Youngman: (joins the ladies at their table) Good day to you pretty ladies, I am here for two reasons. First I want to say a very big thank you for settling my bills for me and also to honour the invitations that was sent to me by the lady who served me.

Olivia: If there is any thank you to say, kindly extend it to the beautiful woman sitting infront of me because she was the one who paid for your lunch.

Gentleman: (turns to Mrs Nortey) Am very grateful for your kind gesture towards me this afternoon ma’am.

Mrs Nortey: Oh you can call me Becky so cut the madam and ma’am formalities. Do you have a little time to spend or you are in a hurry?

Gentleman: Mmmm madam, sorry madam Becky, actually I came for a lunch a break which ends in the next 5minutes but for the kind gesture you rendered to me, I will spend a little time here.

Olivia: Okay this is the time where I will excuse the two of you since three is a crowd, I believe you have some important discussions to do. I will see you later Becky (walks away to her office)

Back at the Highway:

Kwame Adjei: Corporal so you know all this and you chose to go against the code and conduct of the service?

Police Officer: Sir please is not my fault, if I am not able to make sales after I come to the road to the station master and commander, they won’t allow me to come here again and you know we junior rank officers take a little pay home after all the loan and benefit allowances are deducted. Please have mercy on me sir and consider my predicament.

Kwame Adjei: You want consideration but meanwhile you don’t consider drivers who use this route. Junior get down and search him, bring out any money he has on him and put it on your seat.

Junior: Okay sir, please sir kindly stand here so that I do as your senior officer has instructed. (starts to search the pockets of the officer)

Twum Boafo: Hmmmmm so you know you are the backbone of your family and you chose to walk on this corrupt road? I believe you are very much aware of how our president wants to flush this corruption canker in our system away. It is rather unfortunate but we must not add merit or favours to the mission I have started. Junior are you done searching him?

Junior: Yes please.

Kwame Adjei: Junior you are not done, let him remove his barrette and if possible his shoes so that you see what is underneath. This officers can’t be trusted nowadays.

Police Officer: Sir please there is nothing there, this morning all the way to the afternoon, the road has not been that good and this is the small money I have got. Even with that, I came to the road with about 120cedis on me.

Kwame Adjei: Shut up you liar and thief, you think you can play smart and deceive us too? Don’t forget we were once like you and we know things you are yet to know. Every money that was taken from your pocket will be used as evidence for the corrupt practise that you have been engaging yourself in.

Twum Boafo: So which station or division are you stationed and who is you station officer and commander? They are all in trouble just like you.

Police Officer: I am from Mankraso Divisional Headquarters and my station master is Chief Insepctor Tanko and the commander is DSP Abena Forson.

Twum Boafo: So even the women in our service are not excluded in this corrupt practice.

Kwame Adjei: Sir please let me seize his barrette, badge and name tag so that he can’t deny his actions when we get to the station tomorrow.

Twum Boafo: Oh don’t worry, I don’t think he will have the balls to deny his actions in front of the whole Regional Commander or you will do that?

Police Officer: Sir no sir, I can’t deny my actions but I only ask for justice to tempered with mercy sir.

Twum Boafo: You will see us in your station by noon tomorrow, now get me out of here because the sight of this corrupt officer alone is getting me angry.

Kwame Adjei: Very well sir and for you corporal, it will be of great help if you shut your mouth if not you will be the only person to go down in this corrupt practice. (zooms off)

Police Officer: (puts his hand on his head) Awwww God my end has come ooo, now that the new regional commander has caught me red handed, how do I defend myself? I should have followed my instincts when it told me not to stop that car. I should even not have come to this place in the first place when all my colleagues are at a different checkpoint. Now if I am interdicted or dismissed how am I going to face all this people that I have been intimidating with my police uniform. Eeeeeiiiii my enemies will get me oooo but please God I know I have been a bad person but please intervene on my behalf and I promise you will see me in church every Sunday, also I will start paying my tithe or should I sack myself first before I am brought into the papers when I am finally dismissed or interdicted? I am sure this married woman who came to sleep with me yesterday is cursed, I knew something was not just right about her but I was so stubborn all because that thing in between my legs won’t sleep. Which job will I finally get when this uniform is taken away from me? Herh this will be grace to grass paa ooo and this driver too what is he doing, if you are doing something for me to stop you then you must be joking because I am done for the day.

Kwame Adjei: Junior so tell me, how much money did we get from that thief?

Back at the Restuarant:

Mrs Nortey: So tell me, what is your name, your age, occupation and marital status?

Youngman: Madam oh sorry, my name is Kelvin Dotse and I am 33years of age. I am in a very serious relationship where I am gathering enough money to settle down with my fiancee. I am a teacher who teaches ICT in the private school on the next three lanes.

Mrs Nortey: (sips her wine)I see, since you are a teacher then I believe you are a graduate who holds either a degree or an HND.

Youngman: Actually I am a masters degree holder but because I can’t land myself any proper job, I have to settle with the teaching job I am doing now because man has got to survive and I am the one taking care of my mother and younger siblings.

Mrs Nortey: Oh so bad for you Kelvin, I now understand why you said you are now gathering money to settle down with your fiancee because I know your salary will be a chicken change.

Youngman: Hmmmmm that is very true madam, sorry aunty Becky, oh please forgive me Becky. I have combed the entire city for a better job but anytime it is either I am over qualified or they can’t pay me. I have suffered ooo but it is just the mercies and the grace of God that has kept me to this stage.

Mrs Nortey: I can relate to that Kelvin but my question is, what can you do or what are you willing to do so you get what you want?

Youngman: Ma’am I am willing to do anything apart from stealing or killing my fellow man for money. My age mates and mates in school are enjoying life and building their families but for me I don’t have anything to prove my manliness.

Mrs Nortey: (looks at Kelvin in a saucy way and sips her wine again) Kelvin becareful of what you wish for because talk is cheap and when you weed with your mouth, no grass cuts you. You said apart from stealing and killing you can do anything right?

Youngman: (looking confused now) Yes I said that but you are making me confused here.

Mrs Nortey: No need to be confused my dear, as you already stated, you said apart from killing and stealing you can or will do anything? So if I ask you to push drugs can you do it?

Youngman: No I can’t do that, I am the only male child of my family and should anything go wrong, my mother can’t stand it.

Mrs Nortey: Okay let me take that one out, if I ask you to kidnap people for me, can you do it?

Youngman: That is equally a criminal act which I can’t engage myself in.

Mrs Nortey: So what if I give you an offer which wouldn’t involve any police issue or any jail sentence?

Youngman: For that I can do anything you say.

Mrs Nortey: Are you sure of the thing you just said?

Youngman: Certainly ma’am, I am very ready for any deal you bring on-board so far as it won’t involve the police.

Mrs Nortey: (makes a serious face) So what what if I ask you to sleep with me so I pay you?

Will Kelvin buy into the idea of sleeping with Mrs Nortey?

Did Kwame Adjei, Junior and Twum Boafo treat the police officer well?

To be continued

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