BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A male Kittitian, who has been residing in the United States for a number of years and known for his flexibility, performing as a contortionist, is now facing deportation due to a minor marijuana charge.
Ibashi-i (pronounced E-bash-E), known for performing his feats during National Carnivals, went to the United States in 1984 to perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, according to an AOL News Report.
The site reported that he moved to Boulder, Colorado a few years later and soon began ‘busking’ on Pearl Street.
In 2006, he was included in the travel book ‘Colorado Curiosities’ by Pam Grout and, by 2009, he was named in the Boulder County People's Choice Awards.
It was that year he came to the government's attention when he was travelling back from the Caribbean. He was asked at US customs if he had ever been convicted of a crime.
According to his lawyer Joy Athanasiou, he answered honestly.
In 2007, Ibashi-i, whose legal name is Mitford Theodore Brown, pleaded guilty in Denver to misdemeanor possession of marijuana under an ounce.
He paid a $25 fine and spent a day in jail. Denver had legalised possession of small amounts of marijuana, so Ibashi-i was charged under state statute.
However, certain convictions, including any related to a controlled substance, make an immigrant deportable.
Thus, deportation proceedings against Ibashi-i were set in motion. Athanasiou predicts it would take one to two years before the case is resolved.
Although he has had several run-ins with the law, they were all for petty offenses and no fine was more than US$100.
His lawyer is also looking at all the positives to argue his case, including one of the top reasons for the contortionist to not be deported because of the 5,100 persons who had join the online Facebook group ‘Keep Ibashi-i From Being Deported’, which is an online petition that has gathered over 1,560 signatures.
His next appearance in court will be sometime in September, as no decision was made by the court at his last hearing on April 28.
To show your support to Ibashi-I, persons can sign a petition online via the following link: http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?ibashi&301
