Maxwell, a Ghanaian national, has shared his traumatic experience after recently returning to Ghana from Cambodia, where he was allegedly deceived, detained, and forced to work under harsh conditions.
Speaking about his ordeal, Maxwell said he was told he was travelling to Cambodia to work in IT and was promised a monthly salary equivalent to GHS 10,000, which appeared far better than what he was earning in Ghana. Encouraged by the offer, he agreed to travel.
However, upon arrival at the airport in Cambodia, Maxwell’s passport was seized. He was then taken to a heavily guarded compound where the supposed work was taking place. Shocked by the intense security and suspicious environment, he immediately decided he wanted to return to Ghana.
According to him, he was told he could only be allowed to return home if he paid $6,500. With no choice, he agreed and was forced to work at the company, doing what he described as “survey” work. He stayed there for about two months, all while planning his escape.
Maxwell narrated that one day, when a garage truck entered the compound, he seized the opportunity and escaped. He said the moment he stepped outside, fear gripped him after seeing four dead bodies by the roadside, a sight that made him realise how dangerous his situation truly was.
While on the run, he met a Ghanaian who had entered Cambodia legally and was doing well outside the compound. Unfortunately, Maxwell was later arrested by the police. After a breakthrough during his detention, he was eventually allowed to return to Ghana.
Maxwell said he struggled to obtain a travel document to leave Cambodia. He searched online and contacted people in Bangkok, but was asked to pay about $270 for registration and additional DHL charges. He also alleged that the Ghana Embassy in Phnom Penh did not attend to Ghanaians in distress in Cambodia.
Eventually, the Ghana Embassy in Malaysia assisted him, although he had to pay for the travel document himself. He spent about $100 on documentation and DHL before arrangements were made for his return to Ghana. He was also detained for some time at a quarantine and detention centre, which he described as extremely messy and unbearable, partly due to delays in securing a flight ticket.
Maxwell further revealed that while in the compound, Chinese operators forced them to sell fake products online, manipulating customers to extort more money, especially from people looking for cheap items online.
Since returning home, Maxwell says many Ghanaians have been asking him how he managed to escape without paying the full fine. He also disclosed that some Ghanaians still in Cambodia continue to release videos claiming the jobs there are good, which he strongly disputes.
Maxwell decided to speak out after watching previous interviews on SVTV Africa, hoping his story would warn others and prevent them from falling victim to similar traps.
His message is clear: not every foreign job opportunity is real, and desperation can lead people into dangerous situations far worse than unemployment at home.
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