Posted by From NWAGBO NNENYELIKE, Ilorin on
A man wrongly accused of being an illegal immigrant in the United Kingdom may have been singled out just for being black, an Equality Commission spokeswoman has said.
A man wrongly accused of being an illegal immigrant in the United Kingdom may have been singled out just for being black, an Equality Commission spokeswoman has said.
Frank Kakopa has been paid £7,500 after the Immigration Service wrongly held him in Maghaberry Prison for two days. Mr Kakopa, originally from Zimbabwe, was on a short break with his wife and young children in 2005, when he was stopped at Belfast City Airport.
He had proof he lived in England but was still strip-searched and jailed. His work manager had also confirmed both his legal residency and employment position. Eileen Lavery from the Equality Commission said she had concerns over why Mr Kakopa was singled out, as he had "an enormous amount of documentation".
"Why pick on him? Other than I think because he is black," she said. Mr Kakopa, a structural engineer, said the experience still haunted him. His family were left at the airport and Mr Kakopa said he had no idea what had happened to them.
"They wouldn't allow me to make phone calls, I was actually detached from the world," he said. "I did not know where my kids were taken to. "It is still difficult to believe that what was supposed to be a relaxing break for my family turned out to be our worst nightmare.