Corruption in the police force!

…is actually kind of bizarre to me. Twice Peter has been pulled over while driving us since a carful of mzungus (according to a police officer himself) can afford to pay a fine. They usually ask for a small bribe, like 50 or a100 shillings.
But Sunday in Mombasa a cop pulled us over.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“We’re going to the city,” Rajiv said. “And we are in a hurry. What is the problem?”
“I have no problem with you,” said the cop. “No problem with any of you, my problem is with the driver.”
“What did Peter do?” I asked.
“Oh, he knows what he has done.”
Then the cop made Rajiv get out of the front seat and squeeze into the back with the other three of us (and we were already too crowded) and he sat in the front.
“I need your driver to take me to the police station,” he said. “Only for one minute.”
“We’re in a hurry,” Rajiv said again, “Can’t we take care of the problem here?”
”Oh no,” he said, “Take me to the station.”
Then he and Peter talked in Swhili (while Travis recorded it on his small camera) and Peter would laugh occasionally, but it sounded forced… like he was told to laugh.
The cop turned and said “Where are you from?”
“America,” aid Rajiv.
“OBAMA!” The cop yelled. “I am Obama.”
“Your name is Obama?” I asked.
“No, my name is Michael, but I am from the same tribe as Obama,” said the cop.
“What is your tribe name?” Leah asked (like a last name) and Michael told us and we recorded it for future use.
The cop spoke to Peter again in Swahili and then asked us, “So you are students, not tourists?”
“No,” said Rajiv. “We are students and we are volunteers in Kilifi for Komaza. You know Komaza?”
“Yes,” said the cop. “I am from Kilifi and Peter and I are old friends.”
The cop saw the camera. “NO PICTURES!” He yelled and tried to take the camera.
Travis held it out of his reach. “I didn’t take your picture.”
“Give it to me,” the cop said. “Do not take my picture. Did you take my picture?!”
“No,” said Travis. But then the cop was distracted and we quickly towed the camera out of sight.
When we got to the station the cop got out and went inside with Peter. Rajiv followed and returned a minute later to say the cop wanted a 500 shilling bribe or he would arrest Peter.
Leah paid it, because mzungus can afford to, but Peter could not have afforded it.
Peter told us later that the cop had never lived in Kilifi and did not know Peter. He had told Peter that he pulled us over because we were a car of rich white mzungus and he asked for so high a bribe because he could not be sure to see us again.
The mutatus (buses) are usually fined 50 or 100 shillings, but the cops ask for so little because they see them so often and can get a 100 shilling bribe every day.
The cop told Peter he needed us to take him to the Police Station because the other cops could back him up, but outside in the city someone could take his picture (haha!) or the “Corruption Police” could see him.
Apparently the Corruption Police are always trying to find corrupted police officers and arrest them.
I wasn’t actually totally clear on that.

Anyway, I live in Gotham City.
Batman Out.