True stories
Who is to blame?
More info After a fatal fire at a nursery, despair turned to anger. Reports emerged that the state-funded nursery was privately run by the wives of two local officials, and had passed safety tests despite allegedly not meeting the criteria.
Fair trade
More info His shop was bulldozed shortly thereafter, with the local authorities and police watching on
Unfair dismissal
More info To his surprise, the request was abruptly refused. Despite having submitted the official fees, Patrick was told that he would have to pay more if he wanted to see his application progress.
Mafia land grab
More info "He was greeted with a wall that had been erected around the site, watched over by armed guards"
Justice can’t wait
More info The court proceedings dragged on without an outcome for 11 years, putting Neven under great personal and financial strain
Slum Evictions
More info Slums. Overcrowded, unsanitary and dangerous. A Moroccan family found themselves homeless when a new national programme to improve the lives of slum dwellers demanded illegal fees of them that they were not able to pay.
Bomb disposal
More info Suspicions were raised when a job advertisement for a position at the centre contained a most unusual prerequisite: a degree in Music
Captive mothers
More info They were told nurses in a local hospital were charging women US $5 every time that they screamed while giving birth.
Balancing the budget
More info Government cars were frequently misused for private journeys, or by friends and relatives. Some were reportedly even being sent abroad.
The road to safety
More info A series of advertising billboards were putting drivers' safety at risk along one particular stretch of road. Ten people had died there in a year.
Bribery Behind Bars
More info A young woman waiting in line claimed she was asked to pay to have her boyfriend relocated out of his cell – where he is allegedly sexually abused by his six fellow inmates on a daily basis.
Processing complaints
More info Residents feared that releasing waste water into the bay as planned could entice sharks into the busy shallow waters, where children often swim.
Family affairs
More info He was pulled off a bus by armed men, bundled into a car and driven into the forest, where he was robbed and told to abandon the case
Healthcare under threat
More info At a rural emergency clinic eight nurses received an unexpected pay cut. When they protested, their bosses threatened to close down the centre.
Gold mine
More info When a gold-mining cooperative had to renew a certificate, its president had other ideas and re-registered the mine under his own name.
Secret Diaries
More info From deceased employees on the active payroll, to “ghost employees” hired to receive a salary they later transferred to their employer, the journalists claimed that millions of dollars were being systematically rerouted from public funds into private bank accounts.
Cheat sheets
More info For years teachers at a senior high school in Ghana reportedly demanded bribes of around US$35 from students in exchange for helping them pass their final exams.
Running on empty
More info Acción Ciudadana received around 25 phone calls from citizens living near the Mexican border who suspected that some truck drivers were smuggling cheap petrol into Guatemala from Mexico
Dream job
More info Far away from home after responding to a recruitment advertisement, Leeroy soon learned that he was expected to work for food and accommodation rather than a salary
No shelter
More info Following a devastating cyclone, Khadija thought she was one of the lucky few when the government selected her to receive a storm-resistant new house. But then the construction began.
