Edmond, a Ghanaian based in Cambodia, appeared on Matter Dey with DJ Nyaami and Sausage, where he shared his harrowing experience of being lured, trafficked, and effectively kidnapped after leaving Ghana in search of better opportunities.
According to Edmond, hardship in Ghana pushed him to look abroad for work. A friend based in Dubai, who spoke Chinese, promised to help him secure a good job. Edmond, who also speaks Chinese and is a graduate of the University of Ghana, Legon, believed this was a genuine opportunity. He was introduced to Telegram channels advertising jobs such as managers and secretaries for Chinese companies. They claimed they would arrange a tourist visa, which could later be converted into a residence permit.
However, everything turned out to be a lie. Upon arrival in Cambodia, Edmond was picked up at the airport and taken to a gated compound, where his passport was seized. He was forced to work as a translator and made to sign a one-year contract. He was later told that the person who connected him was actually an agent who had been paid for his recruitment. Edmond was charged $7,500 for visa processing, airfare, and transportation—money he was expected to repay.
He explained that calling the police was dangerous because the traffickers paid them off. Victims who tried to seek help were tortured, beaten, or even killed. Edmond said it was common to wake up and find dead bodies outside the compound. Many victims were Africans from different countries, including highly educated individuals such as software engineers, all lured under false promises. Once inside, they discovered the nature of the work was criminal and exploitative, and refusing to cooperate led to severe punishment.
Edmond said contacting the Ghanaian embassy was extremely difficult, and help was slow in coming. He noted that when other African governments intervened, penalties were waived, allowing their citizens to buy tickets and return home. He is appealing for the same support for Ghanaians so they can return safely.
Before leaving Ghana, Edmond was financially stable, earning about 4,000 GHC monthly. He had traveled to China several times and successfully assisted others in obtaining visas. However, the desire to earn more led him to explore opportunities outside Ghana. In Cambodia, phones were seized and wiped to prevent victims from contacting anyone. Edmond managed to survive by creating new social media accounts and memorizing phone numbers to reach friends and family.
Currently, Edmond says he is overstaying in Cambodia and is charged $10 per day, accumulating an overstay fine of about $4,000. He has gathered about 41 affected individuals and continues to seek help so they can safely return to Ghana.
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