The Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) says it is assisting two Cape Town families whose loved ones are being held in a Cambodian prison for assault.
The two men, Bradley Elias, 32, from Gordons Bay and Marshall Abrahams, 31, from Stellenbosch had accepted an opportunity to work overseas from a programme that recruited young people to work for a Chinese company in Cambodia last year.
While there, they got into a dispute with the employer and ended up on the streets, according to their families.
The two were arrested after they were involved in a brawl at a bar with another South African from Johannesburg.
After their conviction, they were sentenced to a fine of R24 000 each or four years’ imprisonment.
The fine had to be paid within 30 days.
Elias’s father, George Petersen, said they could not scrape together the money in time and the sentence was prison time.
“The boys accepted an opportunity to work overseas, and they ended up in Siem Reap, Cambodia. They had a dispute with the employer while there and were fired.
“They ended up on the streets, but were taken in by a local orphanage. In 2022 they got into a fight in a bar in Cambodia with a South African who, as I understand, was there on a job assignment. They were locked up and awaiting trial. The courts gave a verdict that if they don’t pay R24 000 each they will end up with a jail sentence of four years, and that’s where we are now,” said Petersen.
“We are struggling to cope, but the most important thing now is we need to raise the funds to get them back home.
“A week ago I was nearly scammed out of R2 000 by an imposter posing as a Gift of the Givers representative and we later found out he was lying. He threatened that my boy and his friend would be sent back to South Africa in body bags.
“It has been a difficult time. I have spoken to the boys. They are both sick, but they say they are coping.”
Marshall’s mother said her son left the country for better employment opportunities.
“This has not been easy on the family, but we are trying to remain strong,” she said.
Dirco spokesperson Lunga Ngqengelele said they were aware of the matter.
“We are doing what we can to assist them and their families,” he said.
To assist the families, contact Petersen at 064 150 1578, or email [email protected].
Cape Times