In a sad and chilling story of misfortune, Mr Sam narrated how his otherwise wonderful life suddenly turned bleak and landing him in jail in two different countries.
In an interview with Kofi TV, Sam stated that he went to America through a YMCA exchange program for brilliant students in 1999. It was for two years. After the program, he applied for waiver to stay longer – it was granted. “My visa extension eventually expired, but I stayed and was working illegally, getting paid ‘under the table’, for some years”.
He further disclosed that he continued working illegally until 2007 when he met lady and got married to her. “She processed my documents and helped me secure a green card. I was then able to work legally and enjoyed traveling a lot.”
Sam added that In 2009 he visited Ghana with his kid and returned to States. Upon his return, he and his wife started having some marital issues and she left their home, leaving him with the kid.
Fast forward, Sam used to teach people how to play golf after haven worked on a golf course for some time. A friend asked him for some lessons to which he obliged to help. So at the golf course “I decided to share my situation with my friend about my wife leaving and how I needed someone to be with. He told me not to worry because he had a female friend he could link me with. He later introduced me to one black American lady.”
Sam and the lady met a couple of times on dates after their introduction. By this time he had plans of becoming a lawyer so he had started taken some courses. One day his friend whom he was teaching golf was celebrating his birthday and invited him, but he declined to attend because he was doing some school assignments.
That same evening another Kenyan friend invited him to a funeral, which he ended up going after his initial resistance failed. While at the funeral and after a few drinks, the birthday-celebrant friend kept calling to convince him to pass through. He eventually caved and proceeded to the party. By this time he was already tipsy.
After partying for some time, it was time to leave. But all the guests were now warming up their cars due to the cold. “The new lady I was introduced to was also there, I asked if I could join her in her car to chat while our vehicles warmed up. She invited me into her car. One thing led to another and we started making out. At a point she started resisting. When I realized she was being serious, I stopped.” Sam Narrated.
She then told Sam she would like to learn how to play golf. They scheduled a lesson for the weekend. Sam exited her car and got into his and they went their separate ways home.
“When I got home, my friend who introduced us called and said the lady complained that I harassed her in the car so she doesn’t want to see me again. I was surprised and asked how?, because we even scheduled a golf lesson for the weekend.” Sam stated.
Sam called the lady but there was no answer. So he sent a text message and apologized to the lady. They never had contact again after that. Some time later at a future date, Sam got a call from the Denver Police asking him to report to the station. He enquired what for but they didn’t disclose. He reported to the station after work.
At the station “the CID showed me a picture of the lady and asked if I knew her, I said yes she’s a friend. We were introduced by a mutual friend and the intention is to start dating as boyfriend and girlfriend.”
The officer asked Sam about what transpired the last time the two of them met at the party. He narrated his side of the story but the officer said he was lying. The officer pulled out a recording and started playing it. The lady had recorded their encounter in the car without his notice. At this point, Sam asked for lawyer. The police let him leave.
After discussing what happened to his friends, some advised him to run away. But Sam felt he had committed no crime so there was no reason to run. “One day I was home with my kid when the police pulled up with about 10 vehicles, as if I was a murder suspect. They showed me an arrest warrant that said I have been charged with unlawful sexual contact – Felony count 3”
Sam was denied bail and said to be a flight risk. He eventually hired a lawyer. The lawyer advised him that though he had a case and could go to trial he risks being jailed for 10 to 15 years if found guilty. However, he could take a plea deal with the state and get maximum of two years with 5 years probation. Sam rejected the deal insisting on his innocence.
After spending a long time in custody, he was compelled to finally take the deal. He was sentenced to 24 months in Denver County. After 9 months he was released.
Upon his release, immigration officers were waiting for him at the entrance. They took him into custody for being a non citizen who committed a crime. They processed him for court to be deported and the judge indicated that his green card was not up to 7 years yet, so he cannot get certain waivers as citizens do.
Mr. Sam appealed the case and won his deportation appeal. The first court was directed by the appeals court to count the years from when Sam first legally entered America (1999) not the date the green card was issued (2007).
As such the court demanded copies of all his documents. Prior to all these events, Sam in the year 2000 had sent his passport back to Ghana for it to be stamped as though he returned to Ghana after the Exchange Program. He did so thinking if his initial application for extention of stay after the exchange program was rejected, then it would look as if he returned to Ghana in year 2000, so he could quickly reapply for visa to return to the USA.
This “smart” move was discovered by the court after his lawyer submitted the copies of his documents. The court now wanted to know how Sam re-entered America after coming to Ghana in the year 2000, because there were no stamps to indicate how he got back into America. Unfortunately It was only his passport that was sent to Ghana for the “smart” move not himself. So he could not get away with his apparent unexplainable re-entry. He was Deported based on that technicality.
He appealed again and told the court that the passport was missing/stolen to which he had a police report (all was part of his elaborate plan he hatched back in 2000. Including getting the police report). The court then asked how he got the passport back, Sam said it was mailed to him by whomever took it or found it. The court didn’t not believe his story and so his deportation was upheld.
Days later, immigration officers escorted him to Ghana. At this time, he was about 3 months away from attaining citizenship status in America. That would have meant he most likely wouldn’t have been deported to Ghana. But that was not to be. He missed it by a mere three months after 17 years in America.
Back in Ghana, he decided to sell his house he was building in Eastern Region for GHc120, 000 and added it to $7000 he returned with and invest the money in Jim Walters’ American Tilapia company which was popular in Ghana back then. He also bought Lands in Accra from the same Jim Walter’s man. It all later turned out to be a scam. He lost everything.
Determined not give up, a friend helped him secure a loan of $3000 to help him travel to Turkey to start afresh. After about 6 months working in Turkey, he was able to pay back the $3000 loan. After paying the loan he intended to now work a couple of years more to save some money for himself. One day, while at the bus station, Turkish police arrested him due to expired visa. He was jailed for three months and returned to Ghana.
Asked if he had reached a point he felt like giving up? Sam said “as long as you live there’s always an opportunity out there and that’s my belief… I’ve had suicidal thoughts, why not end it? But something will tell me; Sam, there’s an opportunity out there.” that is what has kept him going.
Sam also disclosed that he now survives on the benevolence of friends he helped when he was doing financially well. “When I was rich I helped a lot of people and they’re now helping me when I call them. But Kofi, how long can I keep calling them for help?”
Sam indicated he has been searching for a job in Ghana since his return but has had no luck yet. He is ready to do any work including being an Uber driver if anyone would help him with a vehicle to work. He also applied for a driving job at Ibrahim Mahama’s company and was told they would get back to him, it’s been over a year now and no luck there either. His kid is now 18 years and still in America. Watch the video below
Sam is currently seeking for any form of assistance that will help him put his life back on track. He gave his contact as 0535031561 on Kofi TV at the end of the interview (29:30 mark of the video).
From his story, I believe we can all learn some lessons to guide us as we go through life, especially the youth.
Share with us your thoughts and views in the comments section.
