A man wrongly imprisoned in Northern Ireland after being accused of being an illegal immigrant has received a £7,500 compensation award.
Frank Kakopa, from Zimbabwe, received the compensation and and an apology from the immigration service after he was detained at Belfast City Airport in August 2005 and imprisoned for two days at Maghaberry Prison, Co Antrim.
While Mr Kakopa, working in northern England, was incarcerated alongside ordinary prisoners his wife and young family were left stranded at the airport. Mr Kakopa said: "It is still difficult to believe that what was supposed to be a relaxing break for my family turned out to be our worst nightmare.
"I was locked up with convicted criminals, having committed no crime, while my wife and young children were left abandoned at the airport of a strange country worrying about where I was and how I was being treated."Working in Liverpool and Warrington, he was only planning to visit Northern Ireland for a few days. The victim was detained despite producing papers from his employer about his status.The Equality Commission helped Mr Kakopa take court proceedings against the Border and Immigration Agency, alleging false imprisonment and discrimination contrary to the Race Relations Order.The case was settled when the authorities admitted that he had been unlawfully imprisoned.