When Benjamin Emmanuel Chibuikem (34) was arrested by the anti-narcotic cell when he came to sell Ice-Rock drugs worth Rs. 55,000 at Koparkhairane, never did the police imagine that he would ultimately help them translate a few basic questions from English to Igbo. Since Nigerians have a record across Mumbai as carriers of drugs, the police thought it wise to know the questions in Igbo, one of the four official languages in that country, for future use.
“He spoke broken English and we somehow got him to translate 15 questions that we will need to ask an accused if he is a Nigerian. If we speak in their language, they will feel that we do understand their language and will eventually speak out,” said PSI Amit Shelar with the anti-narcotic cell, adding, “We will try to master their accent and tone as well. To say that you are lying, the translation is ‘i-na-agha ugha’.”
The other questions that the police have got translated from Chibuikem are: What is your name, what stuff is this, how much stuff you have, do you want anything, do you have any partner, what do you want, where do you stay, do you have any friend here, and who gave you this stuff.
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Chibuikem was arrested after being shadowed for two days.
“He has not been able to tell us where he stayed in Navi Mumbai. Once we get the place of his stay, we can get details about him. We suspect that he has more drugs at his house. We are working on his call data record,” Mr. Shelar said.