The Stolen Camera Saga...

So... thought I'd take a moment to describe the joys of the legal system here in Malawi.  For those of you who don't know, my camera was stolen from my backpack Oct 31st... I was getting off a bus, realized people could see my camera sticking out of my bag, so closed it.  Started walking away from the bus stop to a different place to board a different minibus, and as usual, was crowded by bus conducters, drunks, and random people who "just want to be friends."  When I boarded the 2nd minibus, realized that my camera was gone, and that one of the people crowding me had probably taken it.  Amy, who was with me at the time, and I went back and started asking people for help, and finally some guy took us to the police station to make a report.  At the time, was seriously unimpressed with the police service, but to my great surprise, got a call the following week that my camera had been found!!  Ecstatic, I went back to Limbe, thinking I'd only be there a few hours, identified my camera (minus 1 memory card and flashdrive and transfer cable thing... plus all pics on the 2nd card were deleted...), and was told I should stick around till the next day... so I did... and the guy who stole my camera plead not guilty (claimed he found it on the street).  So, was then informed I'd have to talk in court the next day. 

After getting prepped on court procedure by Hector, Peace Corps' amazing safety and security officer, who also was super patient in answering my questions and getting the police to speed up the process so I wasn't hanging out in Blantyre/Limbe forever, I met the prosecuter for my case.  At the courtroom, sat on a very uncomfortable bench for a very long time... Malawian court is really interesting.  The defendent doesn't have a lawyer (at least in the cases I saw) and the court doesn't provide one when they can't afford one.  So, the prosecuter asks questions of witnesses they call, and then afterwards the defendant can cross examine.  There's a clerk that interprets English (which most of the proceedings are in) into Chichewa (but not the other way around).  Also, the magistrate (referred to as "your worship") records all the dialouge himself and then asks more questions to clarify.  Was super nervous at first, but then I watched a ton of cases before mine was heard, so had the whole process down. 

Anyways... then had to wait 2 more days to get my camera... went all the way to Limbe (its expensive!) found out that I couldn't take it yet... then arranged through some awesome people who live in Blantyre to get my camera through a friend of theirs and they'd bring it with them the following week to my village.  Worked out pretty well... EXCEPT... the friend had to wait 4-5 hours because she refused to pay a bribe (after I called the prosecuter to ask if the arrangement was ok AND wrote a letter giving her permission) and sometime between the trial and getting it last week, it was dropped... and while it still works, its annoying. 

Either way... I'm incredibly thankful that it was found!  Overall, minus the last bit, the Limbe police were absolutely amazing.  I have a working camera... and that means I can continue to take pictures instead of not being able to at all!  Anyways... more on some projects I have later...

AND HAPPY TURKEY DAY TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!