Africa Daily

How did the promise of work lead Africans into scam centres in Myanmar?


Listen Later

"It was hell. The worst seven months of my life. I was beaten, humiliated, electrocuted."

Jalil Muyeke thought he was travelling to Thailand for a dream job. Instead, he was trafficked to Myanmar, imprisoned in a scam centre, and forced to commit online fraud under the threat of violence. An estimated 100,000 people fell victim to these operations run by Chinese crime groups.

Jalil endured seven months of beatings and abuse before finally finding a way out. He eventually had to pay for his own flight back home and was fined 1,500 Thai Baht for overstaying his visa, which is approximately 44 dollars - a small price to pay to be swiftly reunited with his family in Uganda. But thousands are still stuck in Myanmar today, with many African governments unwilling to pay to bring their citizens home.

Alan Kasujja speaks to Jalil, who survived the ordeal, to find out how he was tricked, what life was like inside, and how he made it out.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Africa DailyBy BBC World Service

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

170 ratings


More shows like Africa Daily

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,709 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,046 Listeners

Focus on Africa by BBC World Service

Focus on Africa

386 Listeners

World Business Report by BBC World Service

World Business Report

288 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,428 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,806 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,797 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,072 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,931 Listeners

The Interview by BBC World Service

The Interview

370 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

736 Listeners

The China in Africa Podcast by The China-Global South Project

The China in Africa Podcast

209 Listeners

Al Jazeera News Updates by Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera News Updates

253 Listeners

The Take by Al Jazeera

The Take

526 Listeners

Into Africa by CSIS  |  Center for Strategic and International Studies

Into Africa

143 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,192 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

740 Listeners

Hold Your Fire! by International Crisis Group

Hold Your Fire!

64 Listeners

Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

Cyber Hack

1,623 Listeners

The Inside Story Podcast by Al Jazeera

The Inside Story Podcast

142 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

288 Listeners

The Explanation by BBC World Service

The Explanation

26 Listeners