High Court reveals the truth behind detained Congolese University lecturer

Alex Braham October 13th, 2009

More facts have emerged in the case of Jean-Pierre Djimbonge, the 51-year-old University lecturer from the Congo who has received widespread public support at his alleged mistreatment by UK immigration officials.

The High Court in Belfast yesterday said that the authorities were absolutely correct to arrest the man, stating that some of Djimbonge’s story defied belief.

The very high profile case of the regular UK visitor made headlines recently after he was held in detention centers around the UK following what he claimed was an unlawful arrest. Djimbonge, a specialist in thermodynamics and hydraulics, argued that he was visiting the UK to attend a conference and that his treatment was unwarranted and unlawful. At the time of his release Djimbonge told a mass of reporters that he would be taking immigration officials to court for compensation.

However, it has since been revealed that Djimbonge was held by authorities after they discovered him to be carrying a box of women’s wigs and piles of dried vegetables. Justice Weatherup dismissed the challenge stating that the true travel plans of Djimbonge were not revealed by the lecturer.

Djimbonge had claimed that the near €3,000 he was carrying was spending money for his trip but later revealed that he was going to use the cash to aid with the purchase of a jeep to send back to his homeland. He also told the court that the wigs were made from a rare mesh by women in Kinshasa and that he intended to sell them in the UK supposedly to buy his wife a present.

The reason given for carrying a range of dried vegetables was the food in the UK was expensive. His earlier claims that he had pre-booked hotel accommodation were also found to be false, with the man saying online credit card issues had prevented his bookings from going through.

He was also in possession of a letter to an Irish address which he carried to Britain to post as the Congolese postal system was unreliable.

The court threw out the case due to the irregularities in Djimbonge’s stories saying the attempt to sue immigration officials was a waste of the court’s time.