August 23, 2018  Letter of Mainland woman tricked by Nigerian man to go to Malaysia and take drugs to HK

Original Chinese version available

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Dear Father John,

How are you? I write this letter to tell you the details of my case.

I am ......., #....... In May 2010, I got acquaintance with a man named Johnson, a Nigerian, when I was employed in a bar in Guangzhou.The bar was owned by my friend and was called "70 Bar".

After we met in the bar in "Tao Kam North Road", Guangzhou, Johnson gave me his telephone number through my cell phone and he marked himself name of contact as Johnson. After that he phoned me every day and entertained himself in the bar every day. I lived in the dormitory when I worked in the bar. We often feast in "Chiu Tin Mun Sichuan Restaurant" situated in "Tao Kam North Road". The man asked me to bring garment samples is a friend of Johnson who lived in "Hang Fuk Road" Guangzhou.

Whenever Johnson called me, I always asked him where was he? He answered that he was in his friend’s home in "Hang Fuk Road". Every time we feast in "Chiu Tin Mun Sichuan Restaurant", he claimed that he came from his friend’s home in "Hang Fuk Road"

As for his friend, I met him twice only: First time, both Johnson and his friend escort me to Grand China Hotel for taking direct bus to Hong Kong Airport. Second time was a meeting in Guangzhou when I got back from Malaysia. Let me describe the appearance of Johnson’s friend: wearing long hair (pig tail), a pair of cunning eyes (one big and one small – smaller sleepy right eye) with height of about 1.7 m, medium body built.

I have worked for 2.5 months in the bar, before it closed down.

When I left the bar, I lived in the home of Chau Lu, a closed-friend of mine who knew each other for more than ten years. By end August, I received call from my elder sister informing me that my mother was ill. So, in September 2010, I went back to Guiyang, my native province, to take care of my mother. During my stay in Guiyang, Johnson called me every day and urged me to go back to Guangzhou. He asked me to apply for a passport. I asked him what for? Because I do not go abroad and I do not know English. Johnson answered that he will take me to visit his mother in Nigeria. Johnson asked me to come back Guangzhou for taking garment samples for his friend. And they will be responsible for the round trip air ticket costs and I will be reimbursed for $4,000.00. Johnson said that he did not like me working outside. Until November 17, 2010, I bought air ticket to go back Guangzhou. My good friend Chau Lu introduced me to work as a waitress in her working place. Johnson asked me how much was my wage? I told him that it was $1,200.00 per month (with supply of daily food and living place).

Later, Johnson asked me to give him my passport for countersigning Visa, he asked me to go to Malaysia to fetch garment samples for his friend. I asked Johnson why not just sending direct from Malaysia by mail. At that time, Johnson answered that the document of the man in Malaysia expired and it took a lot and complicated procedures and it would be very inconvenient.

Johnson further explained that once he had asked his wife to help his friend to fetch garment samples from Malaysia, if it was illegal, he himself would not get his wife involved. At that time, I thought myself that Johnson would not hurt me and so I believed in him and thinking that he was my boyfriend. We should trust each other so I gave him my passport.

Without thinking any complicated situation, I promised Johnson. It was November 30, 2010 my first time to Malaysia. On that day, Johnson called me to get the air ticket from "Hang Fuk Road" and finally I got the air ticket from Johnson in "Tao Kam Road" After that Johnson and his friend escort me to Grand China Hotel for taking direct bus to Hong Kong Airport. They paid the bus ticket charges and they gave me US$500.00 before we parted. They stayed around until the bus left.

So I took the bus to Hong Kong Airport alone. ETD time for the flight is around 6 p.m. that night. I arrived Malaysia Airport at around 10 p.m. The first thing I did was: buying a sim card for my cell phone for calling back Guangzhou. It was Johnson’s idea to buy a sim card. I asked help from a Chinese Airport staff for teaching me how to use the new sim card. On that night when I called Johnson, he asked me to show the message text in my cell phone to the taxi driver for taking me to China Town. On the taxi, I asked the taxi driver whether there was any hotel run by Chinese, so he took me to a hotel run by Chinese, and the hotel was Nangyang Hotel. I have no idea the phone number of the contact person in Malaysia.

During my stay in Malaysia, it was Johnson who contacted me. Johnson told me that the sister-in-law of his friend would pick me up in the hotel. His sister-in-law was a Chinese. I stayed at that hotel for 2 days, the sister-in-law called me and asked me to check out and waited for her in the hotel lobby for picking me up. It was afternoon when she picked me up. She took me for lunch and short tour and then took me to the place they lived.

First time I visited her home, there was a Negro and he should be her friend. During day time, she took me dining out and tour. I lived at her home about two days. Until the day I left, her husband came back and he asked her wife to get the garment sample from the parking lot. I waited at her home. Then she came back with a case. She open it up and show me the T-shirts and Jeans, all randomly packed. They took them out, and re-packed the garment samples neatly. Along with the samples, they also put my belongings inside it. Her wife escorted me to the airport. She left after I boarded the plane.

In the airport, Johnson made frequent calls to me and telling me how he missed me and "sweet talks". When arriving Hong Kong Airport, I alone queue and passing immigration and custom departments. Then I asked help from an airport staff how to buy bus ticket back to Guangzhou and was managed to get back Guangzhou. Johnson and his friend picked me up in Grand China Hotel, Guangzhou. His friend took away the case with garment samples. Johnson took me to "Chiu Tin Mun Sichuan Restaurant" for dinner. He asked me to wait for him in the restaurant while he will go to his friend for getting some money for me. I waited for a while and he came back and gave me $4,000.00. After dinner, I went back to Chau Lu’s home. Before leaving, Johnson asked me to go home early and took good rest. After that we contacted each other daily.

For my second trip to Malaysia, it was similar to the first one, except that when I passed the Custom Department, I claimed to come alone. But instead, for this time, I came to Malaysia together with my ex-husband’s cousin. Both of our passports were processed through Johnson. Date of our second trip to Malaysia was December 22, 2010 (Chinese Winter Solstice). My ex-husband’s cousin found out her daughter suffered fever when she called home in Guangzhou. She went back Guangzhou on December 24. They also gave a case to my ex-husband’s cousin for delivery to Guangzhou. I went back Guangzhou on December 28, 2010. As before, sister-in-law, Ah Pik , escorted me to the airport.

After I came back Guangzhou from Malaysia (second time), Johnson asked me to look for a rental apartment. Before, I used to live in Chau Lu’s home. Johnson explained that it soon be Chinese New Year, it would be better to have our own living place. After all, we should not trouble our friend too often. I found his suggestion correct. I found a house with 2 bed rooms and one sitting room and with monthly rental of $900.00. Initial payment of 2 months deposit and one month rental had to be paid, and Johnson paid them. Johnson started to ask me to introduce more of my friends to him. Not knowing that he tried to do something illegal, I persuaded Chau Lu’s cousin to give her passport to Johnson. On January 7, 2011, I moved in the rental apartment. Johnson came 4 to 5 times a week for taking me out for dinner and sometimes, we did cooking at home. Johnson’s brother joined us also, and from time to time, I took them to Chau Lu’s working place for entertainment.

When I came back Guangzhou from Malaysia (second trip), Johnson took my passport for applying Visa to Bangladesh. My ex-husband’s cousin helped me to know Bangladesh through internet. The weather there was 45 degree C and people with average life of 65 years old. I told Johnson not going to Bangladesh because I did not know English. Afterward, Visa for Malaysia was countersigned.

For the third time, originally Visa application for also my ex-husband’s cousin and Chau Lu. At first my ex-husband’s cousin would go to Malaysia with me. However, her parents came to visit her from abroad, so her trip to Malaysia has to be suspended. For the third trip to Malaysia, I still went alone.

Before, it was Ah Pik, the Malaysian Chinese who picked me up, but this time there came a Negro male.

I started my trip on February 26, 2011, taking direct bus to Macau from Wah Ha Hotel, Guangzhou. I only found out on that morning, the flight was round trip Macau – Kuala Lumpur – Macau, I arrived Kuala Lumpur on February 27, early morning and checked in Nanyang Hotel, China Town.

Until March 2, 2011, Johnson called me that someone will come to pick me up on that night. A Negro came. He asked me to check out and I followed him to his living place. I lived there for two days, but not understand what the man said. Later Johnson called me and advising me that there was no sample for taking back Guangzhou and bought me a direct flight air ticket to Chongqing, ETD March 4, 2011, around 6:50. I yelled and insisted going back Guangzhou and Johnson asked me to go back to the hotel in China Town and stayed one night. Because of my insistence, the air ticket to Chongqing was cancelled.

Later, I bought a direct flight air ticket to Guangzhou via Asia Air from a hotel next to Nanyang Hotel. It cost me 630 M$ (600 for the air ticket, 30 for luggage) It was 7:30 o’clock at night. When Johnson called, I told him I have bought the air ticket but no more money for travelling to the airport. Johnson asked me not to worry. He will ask his friend to give me some money. I told him ETD of the flight, that was March 5, 8:50p.m.direct flight to Guangzhou.

Johnson said he will call his friend. I asked who? Johnson answered he was the brother of the boss asking me to fetch the garment samples from Malaysia. At around 8 o’clock that night, Johnson’s friend arrived the hotel and followed me to my hotel room asking me to show him the air ticket. At this time, Johnson called and asked me to hand the cell phone to his friend. I did not understand any of their talking. His friend said the flight time was too late and advised that he would change an earlier flight for me so that I can go back Guangzhou earlier. Johnson said OK. Later his friend took away the air ticket and Johnson told me that he will pick me up when he changed the air ticket.

On the next day, March 5, at 8 o’clock in the morning, Johnson’s friend took me to his home. He lived together with another Negro. He asked me to wait and asked his room -mate to buy a new luggage case, and asked me to bring along some clothing and food to his sister in Guangzhou. I asked advice from Johnson and he said it was OK because he was his friend. Without any doubt, I agreed. At this time, his friend gave me the air ticket. I did not know English and only notice the colour of the air ticket was different. The one I bought from Asia Air was Red, and his friend change the air ticket was in White, thinking that was for returning to Guangzhou. Johnson’s friend told me that the ETD was 6:50p.m. His friend said he would pick me up to airport at 3 o’clock. Johnson’s friend managed to speak some Putonghua. At about 2:50 the room-mate came back and brought along with him a new luggage case with a new label.

He opened the case and showing it was empty. He put into the reverse side of the case lid the clothing and food for his sister and told me to put my clothing along with some chocolate, candies for my daughter, and also some medicine ointment. I have bought two bottles of bath fluid, for my-ex-husband’s cousin and for Chau Lu. His friend told me that this air ticket did not include luggage fee, so the case would be hand-carried and asked me to leave the bath fluid and the back bag in his house. He locked up the case and handed me the key.

Approaching 3 o’clock, his friend took me down-stair to take a taxi and giving me US$100.00 for taxi fee to the airport. On the way to the airport, Johnson called me and asked me not to get angry because his friend did not take me to the airport personally. It was because his friend’s passport had expired.

When I got the boarding pass, I started to know the flight was to Hong Kong via MAS. I called Johnson asking him why the flight was to Hong Kong instead to Guangzhou via Asia Air. Johnson said it would be OK, as far as I could get back Guangzhou earlier.

On March 5, at 6:50 p.m. on board the plane and arrived Hong Kong Airport at about 10:30 p.m.

At about 10:45 p.m. when passing the Hong Kong Custom, I was held up and requested to have the luggage case X-ray. I thought it was normal. Later the Custom officer asked me to open up the case for inspection. I said no problem. I opened up the case and at this time Johnson called me while the Custom officer was inspecting the case.

I asked Johnson what did his friend put into the case, Custom officer was inspecting. Johnson answered his friend would not do anything harmful. I got angry and hang out the call before finishing talking. After that, the Custom officer seized my cell phone.

When inspecting the case, the Custom officer found a secret compartment inside the lid of the case, and loading with "problems". The officer asked me whose case was this. I answered it was a friend asked me to take it to his sister in Guangzhou. It did not belong to me. The officer asked me whether I have any idea what were inside the case. I said I did not know and answered in a teasing tone "it would not be cocaine"

And I was detent and custody. I said "it would not be cocaine" because the officer show me some white powder.

In giving my statement in the Custom Department, I declared that I went to Malaysia twice instead of three times, thinking that 2 times from Hong Kong and once from Macau.

When giving my statement, I urged for a lawyer, fighting for a long time as for calling Ah Yan, my friend in Guangzhou, informing her that I was detent by Hong Kong Custom and telling Chau Lu stop going to Malaysia. To my memory, the travelling document Johnson processed for Chau Lu for trip to Malaysia was on March 8, 2011 when I went back Guangzhou from Malaysia.

My friends tried to call Johnson to clarify what was the stuff his friend had put in the case leading me to be custody and trying to ask Johnson to come to Hong Kong to prove my innocence.

But they never reached Johnson as his phone number had cancelled.

Father John, please help me. All I told you are true and facts. I will give you the phone number of Chau Lu. You can ask the lawyer to call Chau Lu. They gave $3,000.00 to my ex-husband’s cousin for last time to Malaysia.

Telephone number of Chau Lu: .....

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