Arrested

 I am on holiday in Kenya. I have to wonder why I'm being arrested here for nothing. Here is the whole story. I went to Mombasa because everyone here raves about this city. My first impression was not very positive. I saw a lot of sex tourists, old white men with young black women. I was ashamed, I have to say. OK, I went to the beach to have fun in the Indian Ocean. So I went to a public beach. At the beginning of this beach there were young men and they all wanted something. I ignored them and wanted to go to the sea, which was about 100m away. On the way there, the police called me to come to them. I went there. They were sitting at a small house and talking. A lady said to me that I was under arrest. Why, I asked. She said because I tried to go on a closed beach. How was I to know that? I was told that it would be written on a board. I didn't see one. I meant, yesterday I was also on the beach and there were a lot of people. That was another state, kilifi and now I am in Mombasa. I meant that it is strange that the police are sitting here, watching me enter a closed beach and just let it happen without warning or informing me. The police's actions must be seen as premeditated because if the beach is closed, then it is their job to guard that no one enters that ground. I remarked on this, apparently the chief said they were only carrying out orders issued by the governor. I can't believe, and I don't accept, that the governor gave such an order, that was an excuse and nothing else. What the police did was simply rubbish. After two hours in prison I wanted to know what would happen next. You must be patient, said the lady. I replied that my question was about the time and not how I should be. She had called and a car was on its way to take me to prison. That was too much. I am sick, I need my medication, I cannot get involved in a maybe. I called the embassy, that's when they got nervous. Threat after threat. The lady and 4 other policemen wielding their guns. Maybe they wanted to scare me. Maybe they were trying to scare me. I said to the lady, are you going to shoot me? Why do I say that? I'm not walking around with a gun, and in a cell. Finally, my companion was asked for 2000 kshs. It was a bargain, because normally they ask for 5000 kshs. I would be released, now I was allowed to walk across the closed beach! The private beaches were open. A little further away, I went swimming after all. However, I did not like it. The behaviour of the police raises many questions. No one can or wants to answer them.

You should do something, not everybody is a sextourist. Actually im a doctor in philosophy, writing a book about Africa. I came here to see life of Kenyans. 

The following message arrives me:

Hi! Very sorry for your bad experience. I just want to tell you that what happend to you happens also to Kenyans many times. Once my underaged son was arrestet at the same beach together with his friend, because of loitering around. He was there with the whole family of his friend and the parents tried to explain the officers that the boys weren't alone but they packed them in the lorry and drove them to the police station Bamburi. The father had to pay 5000.- to get them released. Bamburi police station is one of the corruptest on the cost. Police harassment and killings are a big problem here.