In recent days, information about Ro Mah Giu (22 years old, residing in Lang Bi, La O commune, Ia Grai district, Gia Lai province) listening to strangers, suspected of being taken to Cambodia has caused a stir in public opinion in the border countryside...

Since hearing the news of her son's accident, Mrs. Ro Mah Psem (46 years old) has been like a lost soul, sadness is always present on the old, haggard face of a woman who has suffered many misfortunes.

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The house was already small and cramped, making the atmosphere even heavier. Photo: Tran Hoan

You invited me to work in Hanoi and then... disappeared?

Late afternoon on February 10, in the already small and cramped house, the atmosphere became even more heavy and sad. Mrs. Ro Mah Psem choked up: "Poor my child, I beg the authorities to help, if anything happens to him, I cannot live."

Just after coming home from work, Mr. Ro Mah Hyiu (25 years old, brother of Ro Mah Giu) hurriedly searched for documents and photos to send to the authorities for help, asking for help to rescue his missing brother. While searching for documents, Ro Mah Hyiu said that through calls on social networking applications and location photos sent by Ro Mah Giu, it showed that his brother had been tricked and sold to Cambodia. They called to demand a ransom of 150 million VND to return him to Vietnam.

According to Mr. Rơ Mah Hyiu, in 2024, after leaving the army, Giu returned to his hometown, working as a hired hand to help his family make ends meet. In his daily life, Giu always complied with the policies, laws, and regulations of the locality where he resided, and had no criminal record.

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After being discharged from the army, Ro Mah Giu followed his friend to Hanoi to work and then disappeared. Photo: Tran Hoan

In July 2024, Giu announced that a friend called and invited him to work in Hanoi. Although his family asked, Giu did not say what his friend's name was, what he was asking him to do, or where specifically.

“After working for a while, Giu called me and asked me to transfer money to buy a bus ticket home. A few days after receiving the money, Giu called again to say that he was in Ho Chi Minh City and would work for a man he had just met, earning 550,000 VND/day,” Mr. Ro Mah Hyiu recalled.

Talking about the process of his brother going missing, Mr. Ro Mah Hyiu said that once, Giu called to say that he was in Cambodia and had to transfer 120 million VND to be returned to Vietnam. In the following days, there were many phone calls claiming to be Giu, asking for the ransom money. However, the voice did not sound like Giu's because he spoke in Kinh, not Jrai.

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Mrs. Ro Mah Psem and Giu's sister were sad and worried about the safety of Ro Mah Giu. Photo: Tran Hoan

“On the 29th and 1st of Tet recently, Giu borrowed a phone and called home repeatedly asking the family to borrow 150 million VND to redeem him, otherwise he would be sold elsewhere. My family is poor, with 8 mouths to feed depending on the cashew garden and a few acres of rice, and the house we live in is also supported by benefactors. We have no other assets, so where can we get such a large amount of money to redeem him?”, Mr. Ro Mah Hyiu explained.

Family appeals to local authorities

Speaking to VietNamNet reporter, Mr. Ro Mah Jem, Vice Chairman of Ia O Commune People's Committee, said that the local government has received a report from Mr. Ro Mah Hyiu about his younger brother Ro Mah Giu being suspected of being tricked and sold to Cambodia. Currently, the provincial authorities are verifying and clarifying whether Mr. Giu was tricked and sold abroad for ransom or for some other reason.

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Mr. Ro Mah Hyiu sent a petition to the local authorities, Ia Grai District Police, and the Criminal Police Department of Gia Lai Province Police asking for help in rescuing his younger brother Ro Mah Giu. Photo: Tran Hoan

According to Mr. Jem, Mr. Ro Mah Hyiu's family is poor, his father died early, the mother and five children work as hired laborers to earn a living. The family has no valuable assets, with such a large ransom, the family does not know how to manage.

“The locality regularly coordinates with departments, police and border guards to propagate to people not to follow bad guys, not to believe strangers who lure them with easy jobs and high salaries, otherwise they will fall into the trap of human traffickers,” said Mr. Ro Mah Jem.