Monrovia – Human trafficking victims, who were allegedly brought into Liberia from Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast have alarmed that they are not being cared for while in the custody of the Liberian government.
According to them, since LNP took charge of them on July 21 of this year, things “have been difficult for them.”
“Since they (police) brought us in this place (guest house), things have been very difficult on us. No food, no water,” laments Chernor Lama Turay, a Sierra Leonian. “We stay with hunger almost every day. If we are lucky to get food, we eat around 1PM or 3 PM.”
Turay is amongst 11 persons who are in police custody as law enforcement officers investigate what appears to be a human trafficking ring. Those arrested in connection with the crime were presenting themselves at agents of QNet International – a networking business company with headquarters in Hong Kong.
QNet has continuously distanced themselves from the perpetrators, stating the organization has never been involved with human trafficking and has condemned the actions of the perpetrators.
According to him, he paid US$850.00 to an agent who guised himself as an agent of Qnet International in Liberia to get the job but unfortunately, his hope was dashed. No job, no money.
Turay says things are now difficult on him, as there is no way to get back home and reunite with his family.
He says surviving has become challenging, as money to get food neither water.
He lamented that it is difficult to hustle in a strange land, especially now that he is confined to a guest house.
Mamodou Diallo, a Guinean, 14, says he is appealing to any humanitarian organization, person(s) or government officials to come to their aid.
Diallo says he was trafficked into Liberia by a man named Keifala Kamara.
He said Kamara met him in Conakry and made him to believe that his brother (Kamara) had a company in Liberia called Qnet International that was hiring workers for lucrative salaries.
According to Diallo, Kamara told him that in order to get a job from the company, he had to pay USD$1,100.00, which he did pay to Kamara.
“Since he came to Liberia, he is yet to get the job or refund of his money. I am just appealing to anybody who can help in this country to come and help us because things are not easy on us in this guest house. Only one police man (identified as Emmanuel W. Guasie, CSD Commander for Zone-3) helping us here since the government brought us in this guest house,” Diallo lamented.
“We really need help. No food, no water. Living under this harsh condition in a strange country you don’t know is unbearable for us. We are calling on human rights groups, humanitarian organization, and even our countries’ ambassadors to come to our aid,” Ibrahim Jalloh said.
Victim Jalloh further explained that besides feeding he is also appealing for the re-imbursement of the money he paid.
“My brother, I am afraid to go back home because the money I paid was borrow from a bank. As I speak to you now, I am getting information that my uncle is in jail for the money so if I go back without the money, I will go to jail, too. So, I am really begging the government of Liberia and all goodwill persons to help get us out of this situation,” Jalloh said.
Jalloh said he was trafficked into Liberia from Mali by Qnet International for a driving job.
He said he was made to pay for the job, but unfortunately there has been no job offer since he arrived in Liberia.
He is not content with living in a strange land in confinement, where there is no food, and no water almost every day.
Based on the numerous complaints and allegations from the victims, FrontPageAfrica investigation established that since the LNP took charge of the victims, the issues of food and water have been a serious challenge for them.
FPA investigation also established that the victims were placed in the hands of a single police officer, Emmanuel W. Guasie, CSD Commander of the Zone-3 police station, who is now single-handedly shouldering the victims’ responsibility.
FrontPageAfrica also established that the victims’ issues have now become a serious burden on officer Guasie, as he is unable to cater for them single-handedly.
Since the police began its investigation into the matter on July 22, it is yet to release its investigative findings of the company linked to the matter, as several attempts by this paper to obtain a copy of the report did not materialize.
The delay of the police investigative report on the company’s alleged link to human trafficking is now raising concern and eyebrows in the public, as the company’s name continues to be in the public for scam and allegedly bringing people into the country on a daily basis under the guise of employment, among others.
Even though, the police investigation has charged four persons, Abu Kamara, Keifela Kamara, Yusuf Konneh and Ousman Kamara with the commission of the crime of human trafficking in connection to the allegation.
But only suspect Abu Kamara has been arrested, forwarded to court, and is currently in detention at the Monrovia Central Prison pending court trial, while the others are still at large.