Another employee caught stealing cash and subsequently jailed. This one was on probation for dishonesty and suspected theft.

And yes, we do have protections in place but insiders are constantly working creative angles to commit crimes. Each incident is a lesson towards lower risk. Sounds like a security parallel…

And a previous employee who stole a large sum of money in the past had the audacity to show up today and ask for a character reference so he could go to seminary. Yes, he has money for seminary (“from a donor”) but that’s obviously different money than the money he owes us. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he started down the path of saying I “assumed” he stole from us (despite evidence and two signed confessions, one in front of a police detective) and that his “confessions were made under pressure”, meaning he did’t steal after all. All this from a guy who not only stole but was caught perjuring himself in signed written legal documents, along with starting a competing business using our P.O. box and resources while still employed with us.

And in his words, he “can’t understand what I have against him”.

Most folks that have been here longer than us all say that we simply can’t be soft with criminals, especially ones that are in pursuit of leadership roles in the church or government. One pastor I spoke with (who I have a ton of respect for) encouraged me to love them where they are but to “cut them off from fellowship” until they truly repent, which in the case of theft begins with repayment of the debt.

We also discussed the idea of a “blacklist” that is kept within the Mzungu community that lists known criminals. This is a great idea, and one I will be spearheading especially since the worst offenders somehow manage to successfully circulate among the Mzungu employment circles, regardless of the crimes they commit. My pastor friend also encouraged me to track those that repent since dishonesty seems to be rampant, as it seems to be the norm. Some people, he suggests, can overcome it once they screw up and see it for what it is.

So today I’ll spend lots more time at the police station and get working on the list. Not at all how I planned on spending the day, but no day seems to go as expected.