Neighbours call police on black farmer
A farmer has had police call at his field three times in less than a week following reports from neighbours who thought he was stealing crops.
Zimbabwean David Mwanaka, who rents a field off Mountsorrel Lane, in Rothley, believes neighbours have reported him to police because they are "not used to seeing a black man working in the fields".
-
The 42-year-old, thought to be one of only two black farmers in Britain, was questioned by police officers for over 30 minutes on Saturday following a call reporting a suspected theft.
Officers questioned Mr Mwanaka before checking him and his van.
After another farmer stepped in to confirm his identity, they apologised and left.
However, Mr Mwanaka, who has been renting the field to grow maize for five years, was amazed when they returned on Monday, and then again on Wednesday.
He had not previously had a visit from police.
He said: "I was just picking the maize when I went to the edge of the field and saw three or four police cars and some officers walking towards me.
"They asked me what I was doing and I told them I was cropping my maize.
"It happened on Saturday, then on Monday, then again Wednesday. It was the same story – 'Who owns the land? What are you doing here?'.
"I had to explain again that I rent the land. They did the police checks again – it was the same process – and then they left. They were very nice and it was not a problem."
Mr Mwanaka, who travels from his home in Basildon, Essex, to tend to his crops four or five days a week, believes there will be more police visits to come.
He has lived in Britain since 1991, when he decided to start farming white maize, which he grew up eating in his home country.
Despite being told it would be difficult to produce in the English climate, Mr Mwanaka successfully grows the crop, plus pumpkins and sweet potatoes, across the country.
He won a contract to supply white sweetcorn to Sainsbury's stores in London last year.
The-father-of-three, who was working with his wife Brenda and a colleague when the police first turned up, said he did not believe the reports had been made maliciously.
He said: "I told the police if it happened again they should know it's me by now and not bother, but I'm just waiting for it to happen.
"Maybe it's because people have never seen a black man.
"I honestly don't blame anyone. They are probably just not used to seeing black people working in the fields here.
"They probably just assume I'm stealing, but they are wrong.
"It is a bit annoying because it's a waste of my time and their time.
"I've lived in this country for years and I've not had anything like this before.
"It is just ignorance. The police should realise, but they have all been nice to me."
A spokesman for Leicestershire police said it had to respond to every call made.
He said: "Police were called to land off Mountsorrel Lane, in Rothley, at 9.47am on Saturday, September 13 after a report of a suspected theft.
"Two further calls regarding suspicious activity on the land were received at 8.32am on Monday, September 15 and 8.30am on Wednesday.
"On all occasions, officers attended the scene and, after initial investigations, they were satisfied there were no suspicious circumstances."
32 Comments
View all
by Brian Nathan Parsons, Rothley
Tuesday, December 16 2008, 9:27AM
“Ive lived in Rothley all of My life and have never felt the need to keep my doors locked and secured until I read this article, Im fitting an alarm to the car this weekend too, I cant believe that the charming village in which I reside has come to this! I for one wouldnt hesitate to call the police if I saw this chap picking crops in the village, its called neighbourhood watch / community spirit, someting that we have a lot of in Rothley”
by L Cooper, Leicester
Thursday, November 27 2008, 11:42AM
“'three or four police cars' and repeat visits? To investigate somebody possibly nicking some maize! What a waste of our money.”
by Doc, Worcester
Friday, November 14 2008, 2:51PM
“Look at today's news! The police get called to Rothley for a legitimate reason and it results in a pub being closed and a pubilc disturbance! Brings a big smile to my face, the Rothley curtain twitchers have more to worry about from their fellow villagers I think.”
by Daniel, Leicester
Wednesday, November 12 2008, 9:23AM
“Nice on 'annon' typical race hate promoting again in the villages of leicester, no one is shocked or bothered by reading comments like yours because the rest of us moved on from racisim years ago. I am completely agreed with Fran, if you dont like it then move on. simple!”
by Fran, Enderby
Tuesday, November 11 2008, 12:00PM
“why don't people stop shouting racism and just exept that we have all kinds of different nationalitys in Leicester if you don't like it them move a way ah!”
by Annon, Hugglescote
Friday, October 31 2008, 11:41AM
“I live in a rural area and have had first hand experience of racist comments and damn right disgusting behavior. So people saying that it's only a small minority had better get their heads out of the sand.
You get curtain twitching and evil glances all the time if you are different. I lived in Leicester for 23 years and never saw it. You go into a "local village pub" and you hear it all the time. It's not just Rothley it's all over.
My problem would be the fact the police came out on several occasions to a more, shall we say "privileged" area to a man that is roaming a field looking "suspicious". I would of thought someone hearing a burglar at night, red handed, would be more dangerous. It could be that the Burglar was robbing someone in a less "privileged" area. This isn't the first time I have heard of this happening. NOW THATS THE WORRYING THING!!!!!”
by Doc, Worcestershire
Friday, October 31 2008, 11:29AM
“David Paton - a resident of GLASGOW !- a place that leads the way in sectarianism and knife crime - talk about pot & kettle. I remember the news when some asylum seekers were located there - all the good citizens rioted and tried to burn some of them out because the newcomers were getting free clothes and furniture. Isn't it about time the caledonians started getting their own house in order before pointing fingers (they could help by taking back all the drunks they send down to England on the Stagecoach and looking after their own social outcasts rather than dumping them on us)”
by Daniel, Leicester
Tuesday, October 28 2008, 9:54AM
“David paton, who are you to judge the people of rothley when you live in glasgow!. how do you know what people are like there?!. Just because people have called the police as a stranger to them is in a field (who cares what colour he / she was) its called neighbourhood watch! the police outwardly promote reporting incidents out of the ordinary but oh no as soon as its a black person its racist!. I think maybe you should get into the real world or widen your mind to the prospect that perhaps the calls were made as the guy in question was a stranger nothing else!. People are always so quick to jump on the racist bandwagon its pathetic.”
by david paton, glasgow
Monday, October 27 2008, 3:55PM
“i wish people would take there heads out of the sand ! of cousre we have rasists in every walk of life and in our villages and town ! i find its most preveilent in villages as they have less inter action with ethnic minorities ! but that not a excuse to tag a man as a thief just because of the colour of his skin ! the person who reported this should hang there head in shame and get out into the real world ! they havnt been out side rothley i suspect !”
by Zee, Desford
Monday, October 27 2008, 2:15PM
“Having lived in a number of villages in Leicestershire I think I can honestly say that every village has one resident idiot. Mind you, the city is full of them, only 1 person in 1,000 is decent.
Zee.”