Koffi is a citizen of Togo and a member of the opposition political party, the Union des Forces de Changement (UFC). His role in the party was to distribute party information to the public in order to promote democratic change in his country.

During the campaigns for the Presidential elections, Koffi’s political involvement increased, and he became a prominent leader in his neighborhood in Lome. Koffi organized and led weekly UFC meetings in his home, and participated in protest marches and demonstrations. His diligent work led to a large increase in the number of UFC members in his neighborhood.

The day after a demonstration in which Koffi participated, a group of armed soldiers forcefully entered his home and demanded to speak with Koffi. They forced Koffi to follow them, threatening severe beatings if he did not cooperate. Koffi was detained for four days at the Gendarmerie Nationale in Lome; although the jail conditions were deplorable, he was at least given some food and water. Four days after his arrest, a guard entered his cell and released him without saying why. Koffi later learned that his father, who knew someone in the gendarmerie, was able to intervene for his release.

Although he knew he could be arrested again, Koffi continued his political activities with the UFC. A few months later, Koffi organized a huge march in Lome, protesting the unfair results of the Presidential elections. Unfortunately, the authorities had found out about the march and quickly arrived to disperse the crowd of 500 people. When the armed soldiers arrived, Koffi was speaking to the crowd, encouraging the people to continue pushing for democratic change and for a government that respects human rights. The soldiers disrupted the crowd, and everyone began running to escape the soldiers. Over 100 people were arrested that day. Two soldiers ran after Koffi, but he was able to climb over a wall in someone’s yard without the soldiers noticing and thus avoided arrest.

Koffi never returned to his home in Lome again. Instead, he went to his mother’s home in Kpalime where he remained in hiding until he secured a visa for the United States. Since his name and face were well known by the government, he knew he would be caught if he left from the airport in Togo. Therefore, with the help of a friend, Koffi secretly crossed the border into Ghana. He took a bus to Accra, Ghana, and left for the United States.

He has since been in contact with his family in Togo. His wife has told him that the same group of four soldiers has come to their home twice looking for him. She also informed him that soldiers and police officers have gone to the homes of their neighbors and have shown them an arrest warrant in his name. Therefore, Koffi knows that he will be arrested, tortured, and possibly killed if he returns to Togo.