EXCLUSIVE! “I Was Beaten, Trapped, and Left to Die in Cambodia” — A Ghanaian Speaks Out

[00:00:02]Wherever he is right now, I will just plead with him that we are also Ghanaians who are stranded here in Cambodia. And uh we just ask him to help us get back home safely because how they are treating widows who don't have a valid documents here is is very bad. And most of the Africans here are being deprived from going to the hospitals.

[00:00:27]You can't even go because if you are in we don't have access to any apartment you are there they will just busting take you every each day. So we are just pleading on him to help us out because we've cried a lot and it's like the embassy in Malaysia. We don't know what they are doing. They are not responding.

[00:00:47]You understand? So he should just come into our aid and rescue us. We are stranded. We don't have money personally. Not even $1. Not $1 to even buy water. You understand? So you should just come into us and then help us because if not, if they delay, they wouldn't hear good news from us.

[00:01:10]>> My people, a few days ago, I brought you the story of what is really happening in Cambodia. the human trafficking scheme, the scam compounds, the fake job ads luring African graduates into cyber slavery, the crackdown that is sweeping up victims and treating them as criminals. And I told you that the situation on the ground is worse than the headlines suggest.

[00:01:37]But I had no idea just how much worse.

[00:01:41]Because 3 days after that episode aired, my inbox received a message. A Ghanaian national currently trapped inside Cambodia had watched the episode and he reached out to me directly. And what he shared sent a chill down my spine. He's not a criminal. He was a teacher, a man who was earning the equivalent of $80 a month in Ghana. scrolling through Facebook one evening when a job offer appeared that promised to change his life. Mhm. It didn't change his life. It stole it. He was beaten, electrocuted, locked in a room with no mattress, no light, and no way to contact his family for months. His passport was taken, his phone was taken. And he said something that surprised me. He said when he arrived in Cambodia, his name was already on a list at the airport. My people, the government knew he was coming.

[00:02:46]What's really going on?

[00:02:49]So today on the breakdown, in what I can only describe as a breakdown exclusive, I am bringing you his story. In his own words, unfiltered, raw, and deeply important. And before we go any further, let me just say this. For his safety, I have concealed his identity. His face will not appear. His full name will not be used. He is currently in hiding inside Cambodia, eating once a day.

[00:03:17]Yeah. With not a single dollar to his name. And the risk to him is very real.

[00:03:25]What he's doing right now by speaking out takes extraordinary courage.

[00:03:31]And it is our responsibility as his audience to honor that courage by taking this story seriously and then sharing it widely. Not just as a warning to our youth, but as a demand directed at our leaders to act. Because here's what he makes clear in this conversation that the official statements will not tell you. The Cambodian government debunked the crackdown reports as fake. But on the very same day that Cambodia called those reports fake, the raids intensified.

[00:04:09]And right now, as you're watching this, hundreds of Africans are stranded, hiding in Cambodia. No documents, no money, and no way home. He has a direct message to Ghana's foreign minister, Samuel Ablakqua. and his words, not mine. If you delay, if you delay another day, Ghana will not hear good news about its citizens who have been trafficked into Cambodia.

[00:04:39]My people, this is the story that the cameras are not catching. This is the reality that you will not see on social media. And this is why you need to watch and share this video right now because action action is needed.

[00:04:57]Let's get into it.

[00:05:11]All right, Oscar, thank you so much for finding time uh for this conversation.

[00:05:16]Uh so you know tell tell me a little bit about yourself right um where in Ghana are you from? How old are you? You know before we get into Cambodia.

[00:05:27]>> My name is Oscar. I'm 35 years old. You know done with my senior high. I was doing normal teaching in one of the private schools in Timan.

[00:05:42]And I think uh just for private sake, let me let me hold on for now.

[00:05:48]>> Yeah.

[00:05:50]>> Yeah. No, absolutely. Absolutely. Um so you were teaching in Ghana.

[00:05:55]>> Um sure. Can you give us the timeline right in a private school? So give us a timeline. Um at what point did you hear about this opportunity in Cambodia? How did how did Cambodia come into the picture for you? Actually um it wasn't through anyone. I was just scrolling through my Facebook page and then I came across a job offer and then they were required or looking for teachers and then looking at the benefits the salary wise and everything I think every normal person in Ghana will wish for because they promise a very good accommodation. The salary wise was around 1,200 to 1,800.

[00:06:41]So I just gave it a try and uh the next day >> and this was 1,00 this is in in in US dollars or what?

[00:06:51]>> No, in dollars. In dollars US dollars.

[00:06:54]Sure.

[00:06:55]>> So I applied and the next day I got a >> And how much how much were you making?

[00:07:03]>> Oh, Ghana. It was making in Ghana at that time as a teacher?

[00:07:08]>> Oh, it wasn't something, you know, just say 1,500.

[00:07:14]Yeah, that was what I was receiving. So, roughly $120 a month, right?

[00:07:21]>> Sure. Sure. Sure.

[00:07:24]>> Okay. Okay. Yeah.

[00:07:27]>> So, when you say you saw a Facebook post, who was the post from? What was the page? You know, was it an organization? Was it an individual?

[00:07:37]>> Who was the person?

[00:07:39]>> Yeah, I think I can't tell. It just uh appeared and then I clicked on it like they were looking for workers. So, I just applied then lucky enough I got a call from them the next day and you know I did the interview everything and the assurance was great. So I was asked to submit my passport page and the passport picture for a visa processing because as I said if you look at the benefits and the salary and everything it was okay for me and I'm not the one going to process my visa anything. So I just went ahead and then gave them the requirements the details that they needed that is the passport and then my passport picture. So they said they'll get back to me. So I was there waiting and 3 days time I got a message from them again sending me a tourist visa that I've gotten a visa coming to Cambodia. So when do I want to come? So I told them that I'm ever ready even right now if you tell me come whom am I to you know refuse this offer. So they gave me 3 days to >> prepare myself.

[00:08:58]>> But you you were going to work. You you were going to work, correct?

[00:09:02]>> It Yeah, I was. But it wasn't a government, so just a private.

[00:09:06]>> So wouldn't it be a >> Okay. Okay. But if you were going to work, wouldn't it be wouldn't it be a work visa as opposed to a a tourist visa?

[00:09:16]>> Yeah, I asked the same question. And there >> I knew I knew that. Yeah, I knew because um to go to any land you need to get a working visa but for this one I asked the same question and they told me they don't know me from anywhere. So if they give me a employment visa for now it will be a problem. So we just start with the tourist visa. So when I come within a month they can change from the tourist visa to employment visa. That was the assurance and the promise they gave me.

[00:09:52]Yeah. So I agreed and then >> Okay. So what was the nature of the work? What what were you agreeing to?

[00:09:59]What you know what was your understanding right of the work that you were going to be doing in Cambodia?

[00:10:06]>> It was just a normal teaching you know basic you know teaching. So I think it wasn't anything difficult because if you look at the questions they were asking it was just a normal question.

[00:10:17]Understand? even non a graduate person can just teach and then they made me a aware that it's not all of them who understand syndic so just something small I can and I I I gave it a go I tried and then they got I they gave me the visa >> okay and then and then what happened >> so um after I got the visa the visit visa they asked me when do I want to leave Ghana so I told them I'm ever ready so they said okay they giving me 3 days to just prepare myself and then they will get me a flight ticket I said okay so the next 3 days I was there and then I got them tickets so that means I had to leave my place and then come to Accra I did just that and then when I go to Accra International Airport I met Malaysian guy of which me I don't know his name he just came to me I think he had my picture so he approached me and told me okay I'm the one going right I said yes so he gave me $500 and then that one is as a result of like if I'm going because I'm going as a tourist maybe it's not a direct flight I need some transit from Ghana to Adis Sababa from Adis Sababa to Bangkok and then Bangkok to Thailand, Cambodia. So maybe in the course of that transit they may ask me how much do I have on me? So that money was like a a show money, you understand? I am not supposed to use that $500.

[00:12:04]So I agreed. I collected the money. I went through the immigration processes and lucky enough nobody even asked me those transit points and then I got to Cambodia.

[00:12:19]So when I arrived that was when I got to know that um I'm even going with two Africans. They were from East Africa I think Uganda also. So the driver who was waiting for us at the airport picked the three of us and it was in the evening around 9:30 there about I don't remember the exact time but it was evening so they drove us >> from the capital that is the nonen to that destination honestly I don't know the name because we got there very night very late >> and when we got to where we were supposed to How long was the How long How how long was the ride from the airport to the destination where you ended up?

[00:13:08]>> It was around 3 hours. Yeah. 3 hours drive. Understand? It was around 3 hours. Yeah. Or it could even be more because we got there very late. Got there very late.

[00:13:22]>> Got it. So, so at this point, what are you thinking? Are you feeling excited or are you starting to feel nervous at at this point? How are you think what are you thinking?

[00:13:31]>> I wasn't I wasn't feeling any nervous and as a first time traveler I think it was a plus for me you understand because I I finally have been able to travel and then uh I met Africans also. So the three of us were just going together. So there wasn't anything like fear or anything and it was just a simple normal driver >> who cannot even harm us. So I was okay not even thinking about something bad.

[00:14:02]>> Mhm.

[00:14:02]>> So that's how it went.

[00:14:07]>> Got it. Okay. And then um you got to your destination and then continue. What happens after?

[00:14:14]>> Yeah. We got to the destination. We normally term that place as a park by full of casinos, very nice tall tall buildings by a very big park, more buildings or a lot of people are over there and each building or each apartment or each casino is also being fenced. The whole place is fenced. the whole park they have built wall around the whole park >> and the buildings in that park each one of them is also you know has a wall around it.

[00:14:54]>> So I was taken to building one >> the first building. Yeah. The first casino and it was like 15 floors. So um they took me to third floor and then the other two guys honestly I don't know I didn't I that was the end we didn't see ourselves again because I think it was different different departments >> so I was taken to the third floor and I went and met the HR she was a lady you know she gave me blanket best spread the things that I would use to make me feel Okay. And took me to fifth floor. That was where I was supposed to sleep like accommodation.

[00:15:41]So when I got there, I met uh five Nigerian guys. They were also new. They came that same day. But for them, they used Laos. They didn't come through Cambodia, >> you know, Nigeria. They can't come direct from Nigeria. So they came to Ghana first and then their transit was from Madi Sababa to Laos and then from Laos they need to cross some rivers and streams in the bush before they just come to Cambodia because for them they were kind of more or less illegal way.

[00:16:17]So they weren't using the right path.

[00:16:19]You understand?

[00:16:20]>> So we just had a conversation.

[00:16:24]>> They didn't have visas. So, >> so they didn't have like the visas that you had the >> Mhm.

[00:16:31]>> Yeah. For them their last stop, their last destination was Laos, >> you understand? And Laos and Cambodia, it's like two different country, but they share border, you understand? So for them, they were not >> Yeah.

[00:16:49]>> taken to the right path.

[00:16:53]They made them cross, reverse like the jungle and all that. That was how DS went. So we, you know, we talked, we all shared our experience and then we slept. Then the next morning around 6:00 a.m. we came and then call all of us six of us because the Nigerians were five and a Ghanian 6.

[00:17:19]So that is that was where they started introducing the job to us. So they told us that okay they promised to give us a teaching job but unfortunate this is impossible. So this is what we're coming to do. It's like a telecommunication.

[00:17:40]So we will be we will introduce a job to customers and when they agree to work then from there so I wasn't getting what they were saying and that room that office more than 200 computers and was Africans Pakistani this Asian Malaysians like different different you know you know they were all there.

[00:18:15]So I told the no I can't do this job because this what you guys promised. So she said okay >> if I'm not ready to do this job then I need to pay $8,500 because that was the Cambodia and 8,500 where am I going to get that money from?

[00:18:39]Understand? So I told them no it's impossible. I can't do this job.

[00:18:44]>> So that very day they took me to a room.

[00:18:49]It was just a normal single room. We just laugh inside and then alone there. So they on the AC there's no mattress nothing just normal for they kept me there in off the light.

[00:19:10]So in the evening there's one bouncer I don't know where he's from but he said big big muscles came with a teaser they started beating me shocking me before that child collected my passport and then he she collected my phone phone also so wow I like I was very disturbed very very disturbed and this bounces were beating me telling me unless I accept this offer if not I need to give them,000 they don't care and they said it right into my face that Cambodia they can kill me and nobody can do anything that was their words so I was still not giving them more years I was just there they beating after that they threw the food that they brought to me and they left they locked the door so I was just there, you know, all the time. They just come either in the morning or in the evening, come and bully me, beat me, shock me. I went through that more than 3 weeks. So I could see that no, I can't go anymore and I have no option to accept their offer. So I told them, okay, I'm okay, let's do this. So they brought me up, took me to my room, said I should take her, dress up and they come to the office. I did that and then you know I join my colleagues. So that was where this thing started.

[00:20:53]So we just started from there.

[00:20:55]>> So just to jump in really quickly.

[00:20:58]So So they took your phone so you couldn't contact anyone in Ghana. You couldn't contact your family. You couldn't contact anyone. Correct. Did you try to see if you can reach out to someone back home?

[00:21:14]>> You know, even coming to also >> honestly I didn't inform my family, my parents because my dad is like >> oh wow >> in his pension stage very old man. if you tell him what is going on right now even out of pressure and all that he can something bad can you know happen to him you know healthwise so I decided to accept everything on my own because nobody advised me to come to Cambodia I accepted the offer and then joined them you understand so it was like myself praying I know you know it's either I die in Cambodia or I don't know because that was what was going through my mind all this come beat me, shock me and you know.

[00:22:01]So, >> oh my god. So, so back home, no one no one back home knows where you are. No one home no one back home knows that you're in a place called Cambodia.

[00:22:13]>> No, no, no. They didn't know that I was in Cambodia. But they knew that I've traveled outside Ghana.

[00:22:19]>> Understand?

[00:22:19]>> That you've traveled?

[00:22:20]>> They knew I've traveled. Yeah. So, so you you could have you could have died in Cambodia and no one would have known that you had died in Cambodia. Pretty much >> it was so simple because even when we started working a lot of Africans pass out cuz they if if you just if there is any outbreak in the building and you don't have any strong immune system because the food that we were eating were more of this food. So people passed out you know we saw a lot of them because when you complain whether it's headache whether any form of disease they will just come with a drip understand they will just come >> oh my god >> and then whether even if it's neck pain they will come with this same thing one guy just dressed like a I don't know whether he is a pharmacist or a doctor you just come with some drips and then put it on you and that is it so that's how we were being treated over there. But we're giving food like initially it was three times in winter. They were giving it to us twice a day every day. Morning and evening or you can take it morning or afternoon.

[00:23:35]Yeah.

[00:23:38]So >> wow we yeah we we we accepted and then we started working but before working you know they took us to a a class we have a mentors who were teaching us training us making us you know a giving us hope and assurance telling us that we can do this it's not anything difficult you have a script in front of you every morning they give you numbers like US numbers like 300 or 400 numbers and they'll give you phones iPhones or Android phone and each phone card inside US numbers so our job is to call the number randomly and whoever answers the call we will introduce the job to the person so that was basically what we were doing over here so >> so what type of job is What type of jobs are you introducing to you know to to people when you call? Give us an example.

[00:24:43]>> Oh, it was just a normal thing. Maybe we have a YouTube channel. We would like you to subscribe. You understand? And then after subscribing, we send screenshots to confirm that you've really subscribed and then we will pay you. I think each subscription we give them $10.

[00:25:01]>> $10.

[00:25:02]>> Oh wow. So I see.

[00:25:03]>> Yeah. each subscription they will just pay you and it's real money. So after you you you are done with the subscription and then we've seen that uh the client or the person we called is paid then I'm done with my job but we were given a task that each day you need to at least bring 20 25 people on board each day if you don't get that number of people they are deducting like $200 from your salary.

[00:25:37]So that was how everything was going.

[00:25:41]>> Yeah.

[00:25:43]>> So at this point, so in the uh um in the ad, the job post that you saw, you said that they promised a salary of,000 to,500 uh USD a month. So at this point um is this still the same salary or were they paying you that amount?

[00:26:01]>> Yeah. Um you know before starting the job here we were given a contract letter to sign and then in that contract the salary there was $1,200 but when I started receiving the salary they were giving me each month $400. And I asked why they said the the expenses, the amount they spent on me before, you know, I go to Cambodia, I need to pay that.

[00:26:31]>> Understand? So they were deducting >> like 600 or 400 from it. And then they again deducted $200 and that $200 they were deducting they said um um at the end of the contract it was 2 years contract they will give that amount that 200 200 for 2 years they will give it to me and I'll use it to pay for my overstay my fine in this country before I can exit the country. So I was given $400 each month and we worked for like uh six months. We were there because it was US and then Australia. I started with the US and then later I moved to the Australian platform. So the Australian platform we were starting work here in Cambodia 6 a.m. and then we close at 6:00 p.m. each day. So we closed one day we were there and then they sent us a message because we have a group all the members in that building in that office about 300 plus workers there we all joined. So they told us that they've gotten a hint that the police are coming to raid the place so everybody should just find a way out.

[00:27:52]So, you know, it was like an action movie because you just have to pack your luggages, rush back to the office and then search if you can get your passport.

[00:28:05]>> And lucky enough, even for me, I didn't get my passport, but it was through a friend. I was there and the friend called me and said, "Hey, bro, I've seen your passport. Where are you?" So, I just told him I'm around and then he he he brought it to me. That was when I got a lot of my workers or my colleagues there. their passports were lost. They couldn't find their passport. Everybody was in a rush. We don't want to wait for the police to come and then, you know, arrest us.

[00:28:33]So, we moved out from the building. And then during that time uh transportation from that place to the capital of Cambodia you need to pay around it was like less than $50 but they were charging $150 $200 for each person and we had no other choice than to you know take a bus. It wasn't even a bus like this alone private cars. So the driver brought us to I think the next two province because it was very late very very very late midnight. So myself and my friends we lodge in the hotel because we had a hint also that those who decided to come straight from that park to the capital there are some police barriers on the road. So if you're not lucky and you get there, >> they will also arrest you. So they made us just stopped the nearby hotel like a true pro province from where we were working and we we were waiting there. So we lodged there for like a week and then when we got to know that people are now trooping to the capital that is when we also joined. So we came and then we we we all of us like we were seven Ghanaians and then we had two Ugandan ladies. They joined us. So we all went for um a guest house in Cambodia, the capital. That was where we were lodging.

[00:30:16]And >> Mhm.

[00:30:18]>> we've been there for like uh almost getting to a month because we heard that police are going around arresting, raiding apartments and every place. We were there one day but but then that day I wasn't there. I went out to buy food.

[00:30:35]So when I came I got to know that they've they've arrested all my friends.

[00:30:42]Those guys I came with in the room that hotel all of them because none of us had valid documents. It was just a tourist design for like >> more than 3 months. We were just using invalid documents.

[00:30:57]>> Got it. Got it. So according to the government, you guys are in the country illegally. So you're not have have you thought about presenting your case to the government and telling them your story of how you actually ended up in the country? Have you all attempted to do that at all?

[00:31:15]>> Honestly, initially we never thought of that. We were all finding ways and means to leave the country. And you know when this raid started all the casinos, all the parts were shut down, were closed. So they all moved from Cambodia. Most of the companies moved from Cambodia to Miami.

[00:31:41]>> Miami I think is also Yeah. My border side. So that was where most of the companies shifted to and some of them too went to um Thailand and Cambodian border like we have that province we call it Pipet Pipet P I O P E T.

[00:32:04]>> So over there also the raiding started they were arresting Africans everybody.

[00:32:10]So you we were just being careful here.

[00:32:14]But then personally I wasn't having money on me because I've been in the hotel for more than a month and uh the little money that I had on me I was just using for paying rent and then paying you know food and everything. So that's how everything went.

[00:32:34]So, um, we were there and then we had a press release circulating that Africans in Cambodia who are living illegally without a valid documents should exit the country by first of this month.

[00:32:56]So, when the news came, it was just 3 days for the month to end. It was very very disturbing you know we couldn't hold on to ourselves everybody was like the whole place was shaking and before that as I said they were still arresting they were still raiding the Africans we don't have valid documents so we made noise online I think the ministry of foreign affairs came and then we got to know that the immigration here Cambodia they also came out to debunk that allegation that it wasn't true >> but trust me on the first though they came to debang that issue that it wasn't through that they are telling Africans to leave the country on the first but first of this month massive raid started again like arresting widows who don't have valid documents on the streets, accommodation, apartments, hotels, you are there, they will just bust in and take you to migration detention center.

[00:34:13]So it was it was it was trust me very very very sad was very very sad because you wouldn't know. So we just being careful, you know, not to be going outside because if you're not fortunate and you go out and you get caught, that is it. And it's not like they are taking you to >> the um detention center for them to get you a flight ticket back home. No, you have to use your own money. Yeah. And >> someone like me, if you arrest me, where am I going to get the money from? You understand? So, >> so, so they're not, so their objective, the objective is not to deport Africans once they are arrested, right? They're keeping you all in in jail pretty much >> at all. They were there's no >> taking us to the detention center and if you have money on your own or you call back home, your family is able to support you, then they you just get yourself a flight ticket and then leave the country. So I think their main purpose was just to arrest uh we the Africans those without documents and then detain them. And one thing also you know most of the Africans when we came out from the company we had the knowledge already. So we're just doing the job from home. You have your laptop you have your your one or two things internet. You can also do it on your own. You understand? So they got to know that most of the Africans >> who came out >> are also doing this same job in the apartment they are in the hotels the apartments. So they made an announcement that they shouldn't give any apartment any condo to any African >> those without valid documents. You understand? So if you are just going for any place they will tell you to show your your visa your passport and if it's invalid some will even accept you and when you are many like more than 10 20 in that apartment they will just call the police and the police will come and then take all of you out to to to the detention center.

[00:36:39]>> Yeah. So that's how things were going.

[00:36:42]So do you think the government is unaware right that there is that this is a scheme that is happening to get you all in the country? Are they not aware of this at all or you think they're aware but they they just don't care?

[00:36:57]>> Is it the government of Ghana or the Cambodian government?

[00:37:00]>> No, the Cambodia. Cambodia.

[00:37:03]>> Yeah, he's aware. He knows that this is what is going on because I remember when I got to Cambodia, my name was already there. One immigration officer at the airport was holding my name. Just a a full list of we those who were coming into the country because I remember they asked me what I'm coming to do in the Cambodia. I told them I'm just coming for a visit.

[00:37:28]And he was just laughing because he mentioned my name to me. Showed me my name. This is your name, right? I said yes. So they didn't even check me. They just h I passed through the immigration, took my luggages and I went out, I came out. So I think I think I don't have any proof but I think they were aware that because these people, the Malaysians, the Chinese were developing the countries. They will just give you this apartment and then they will start developing the place. You understand?

[00:38:04]They will just give you this park and then they themselves will start building the build building just very nice nice buildings there. So that is what was going on here in Cambodia.

[00:38:20]>> Wow. So what would you so tell us about your current your current situation first of all right where where are you now I think you mentioned that you've left you're in somewhere else uh but what is your present situation um are you looking to go back home what are the challenges that you're having right now >> um where I am right now more or less like a hideout because um we don't know what will happen next because all the raid Did this thing happen here? No one was aware. You are just in and they will bust in and take you. So more or less like a hideout currently where I am. And the capital itself is not safe for widows who don't have valid documents.

[00:39:06]You understand? So um we myself and the Africans, the Ghanaians here, we those I think left.

[00:39:17]Most of us don't have a flight ticket back home. I remember when they started I personally wrote to the foreign affairs ministry in Ghana. I got their number online. I call them tell them I don't have call balance. They should call me. They will call back. I will tell them what is going on. Even go to a time of them telling me to send my location. They have some NOS's in this country who will come and rescue me. You understand?

[00:39:46]because things were getting intense, very very disturbing. And we did all that and nothing good came out of it because later later they told me um they've issued our problems, our concerns, everything. You know, we don't have a embassy here in Cambodia. We have it in Malaysia. So they've chneled everything to the Malaysian. So the ambassador ambassador there she's the one to take in charge or going to take in charge everything and the woman last time came last month she came and met us here in Cambodia personally I joined and um we had a lengthy conversation so she came with a NGO the ambassador her name is Miss Florence something I forgotten the other So they promised to get us promised to get us a flight understand maybe half of it if you have but some they were they only I I I notice or in the group only three of the Ghanaians said that um they got free tickets. only three a group of 400 plus Ghanaians here only three were given that take it back home so I don't know what what what the government is doing I just don't know what the government is doing so someone is calling >> and this was this was this was um you you so you had appealed to the current administration right this is the current Ghana administration correct Yeah, we we did the foreign ministry.

[00:41:40]>> We've granted Yeah, we've we've also granted a lot of interviews.

[00:41:45]>> I did one at a GTV Uganda broadcasting something something. We we even right now the person calling me is Gossip TV, Gossip GH, Mr. Clement.

[00:41:57]>> Okay.

[00:41:57]>> I also have interview over there with him. So we we've at least petition our our our issues everything to him and we are not seeing anything and things are getting intense each and every day they're raging all the time all the time they are resting.

[00:42:16]>> So what is your >> what is your ask to directly I want you to speak directly to the foreign minister uh Samuel Kuatu Ablakqua right now. What is your message for him? What is your ask?

[00:42:29]um wherever he is right now, I we just pleaded with him that we are also Ghanaians who are stranded here in Cambodia and uh we just ask him to help us get back home safely because how they are treating widows who don't have a valid documents here is is very bad and most of the Africans here are being deprived from going to the hospitals.

[00:42:55]You can't even go because if you are in we don't have access to any apartment you are there they will just busting take you every each day. So we are just pleading on him to help us out because we've cried a lot and it's like the embassy in Malaysia. We don't know what they are doing. They are not responding.

[00:43:16]You understand? So he should just come into our aid and rescue us. We are stranded. We don't have money personally. Not even $1. Not $1 to even buy water. You understand? So you should just come into us and then help us because if not if they delay they wouldn't hear good news from us. So we just a plead we are sending to him and we are calling also the NOS's. Erh if anyone in Ghana who is willing this is not about party no it's about Ghana because we are all Ghanes so we are just calling them to just come and rescue us because it's is is it's very disturbing here it's very very disturbing we don't have access to the hospital we don't have access to accommodations we don't have access to hotels we are just walking around sleeping on the benches and we are not lucky Most of those who were taken to the detention were arrested outside because you can't sleep in the accommodation. You understand? As I'm talking to you right now, as I said right here, I'm a hiding. I'm in a hiding place. So I don't go out. I don't literally I don't do anything. Mine is just to wake up and then get something small which is available and then eat.

[00:44:42]Not even three times meal a day at once.

[00:44:46]I'm okay because we don't have anything.

[00:44:50]So that's what I can say for now.

[00:44:54]>> So your message to the minister is to bring you all home. You want to come home >> very well. We want to go back home. We want to go back home.

[00:45:04]>> Have there been have there been have there been any incidents of you know deaths right amongst some of your friends who are there? Have you heard anything of, you know, people dying or someone dying when they went into police custody or anything like that? Any incidents that we should be aware of?

[00:45:21]>> Honestly, for the detention center, the only thing I hear is they falling sick.

[00:45:27]They are not because they don't feed them over there. They don't feed them.

[00:45:32]What the report that we got from them was they said only weekends this foreign um journalists do come there for interview and then when they come they just bring them bread and water. That is what they do. If you don't have money on you is going to be a problem.

[00:45:55]You will be starved to death. Trust me, it's because nobody's giving you food.

[00:46:04]>> What about your your colleagues, right?

[00:46:05]Those from other a African uh the other African nationals, those from Nigeria, Uganda, how are they also dealing with this? Are they also appealing to their governments for help? And how is that working out? My dear, it's only Ghana that people are not responding to us. The Ugandans, >> the president since flighting, took a lot of them back home is the same thing >> for Rwans, NOS's came in, supported a lot of them.

[00:46:41]So right now is the Ghanaians and the Nigerians.

[00:46:48]Most of the Africans are the Ghanian because you are just outside and you see someone where are you from? I'm from Nigeria. I'm also from Ghana. It's hardly for you to even see Ugandan, Kenyan, the other African countries walking around and we were all here. All the African countries, we were all here doing the same job.

[00:47:08]>> You understand? So yeah, >> that is what is going on right now.

[00:47:14]So what is your your you know I want to kind of zoom out a little bit and talk about why you think you know so many Africans are ending up in places like Cambodia right like what is happening I know you talked a a little bit about it you were a teacher back home you weren't making you know a lot of money and so you saw this job post and boom but you had no knowledge of Cambodia right but yet you still decided to you know to take go through this process and move to a country that you had no knowledge of what you're getting yourself into. So why is this happening and what is your message you know to the youth of Ghana right um about these things that are happening online and also to the government about what it needs to do to make sure you guys are not and that the youth is not ending up in these type of uh situations. What would you say about that? Um I think uh you know um it's more or less like a developed if I'm not saying Ghana is not developed.

[00:48:21]Ghana is and they are still developing the country but I think it's not to the peak you know because looking at me just teaching they giving me thousand se you understand.

[00:48:37]So, how do you expect me to survive in Ghana? And someone is offering me $1,500.

[00:48:44]>> $1,000.

[00:48:47]>> Can you hear me?

[00:48:49]>> I hear you. Yes. You know, I want to really thank you. Thank you for being so brave and so bold to come on here and to share your story um you know, with us.

[00:48:59]And I hope that this is, you know, this is a lesson to um to young people right back home. It's not every opportunity that you know um you should pursue do doing research on your own and all of that is is so important.

[00:49:14]>> Uh but hang in there. Hang in there. I trust our minister uh you know um Ablaqua I trust that he will take this matter um you know into his his own hands and you know and and and make it a priority. Uh so hang in there. I know that your country will deliver for you will come through.

[00:49:34]>> We we trust him. We trust him. We know he can do it. Just that things are delaying.

[00:49:39]>> So wherever he is a play that we are pleading to him to come to our rescue any day maybe Ghana will not hear good news. So we are just pleading. Not all of us came here purposely to do this job. Most of us were led into more or less like traffic. You understand?

[00:49:58]because I didn't understood everything >> and then how they drafted everything and posted it on social media everybody will accept that offer. So as you said anything you come across on social media you need to dive more into it and then just take the authenticity of that offer and see how legit that thing is before you step in and then give it a try. So I think that is all I can say for now. So the government should just come and then rescue us.

[00:50:35]>> Sounds good. Sounds good. Thank you, Oscar. Thank you so much. Hopefully the next um time you speak to us, you'll be in Ghana, right? And you can come and thank the government for bringing you all back home. So hang in there. Help is on the way.

[00:50:52]>> All right. Thank you very much.