Ghanaian locked, starved in Saudi Arabia for five days

“I was also locked in a room for five days without food when I complained that I was sick and unable to work…I was finally saved by a neighbor who heard my cries of pain and reported the matter to the Saudi Police.” 

Source: adomonline.com  -  A 42 year Ghanaian, Sara Okyere has revealed that she was made to go for five days without food in Saudi Arabia after being locked in a room when she travelled to the Golf Country to find ‘non-existing’ job.

Sara who resides in Accra suburb of Avenor revealed on Asempa FM’s Abrabo Show that she and her sister who she identified as Betty ended up in the Arab country after being promised a good stay in Belgium by travelling agents.

“We were made to pay 250 cedis in the first place for our medical tests and later asked to pay 200 cedis for our flight ticket at the Kotoka international Airport before we departed…although we did not see our agents at the airport but we trusted them because of the numerous promises they gave us, for a better place and a good earning job…,’’ she said.

The mother of three who had been promised a good stay in Belgium where she hoped to continue with her sewing job said she was made to board a flight at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) and ‘I did not know my final destination until we arrived at the Airport of Saudi Arabia’.

After undergoing the necessary check-ins at the airport, she said, she and other persons travelling with them were later distributed among ‘buyers’ who had grouped at the venue to receive them.

“Being frustrated and not knowing what to do, we were later distributed among our ‘buyers’ of which we were supposed to serve, with my sister going a different place and me the other…,” she said.

After finally arriving at the home of her master, she said she was made to work for more than 20 hours a day including ‘scrubbing a whole building and the only food we were served with was rice and lemon juice as sauce.’

“I was also locked in a room for five days without food when I complained that I was sick and unable to work…I was finally saved by a neighbor who heard my cries of pain and reported the matter to the Saudi Police,” she said.

The agent who carried her to the place, Sara said was called in and made to sign an agreement to ‘send me back within ten days, of which we were made to pay an amount of 2700 cedis before I was freed.’

Her ordeal was confirmed by Betty, a 35 year old woman who claimed she is still in Saudi Arabia and has not been rescued.

She told show host, Maame Akua Austin that she is made to work all day and ‘locked in a room whenever her master was not around’.

Betty pleaded with Ghanaian Authorities to come to her aid as she several inhumane treatment is being meted to her.

A deputy Superintendent of Ghana Immigration Service, Kobina Akoh Mensah, reacting to the recent cases of Ghanaians being made to serve as slaves in several homes abroad urged Ghanaians to find out more about various travelling agents and agencies.

“The immigration cannot prevent people from travelling to these Golf Countries but the only advice I can give to the general public is to check whether the agent is genuine or not…,” he said.