Can't mention my name, because they will kill me - Man, who escaped from an East African country, laments

Man, whose elder brother's whereabouts remain unknown, says he can't mention his name, because he would be killed.

The man, who said he escaped from a certain country in East Africa to study in the United States, alleged that several attempts by members of their family to inquire about the whereabout of their eldest brother, identified as Moses Junior, have met repeated death threats. 

He narrated his ordeal in an exclusive online chat with Fresh Angle International Tuesday August 19.

"I have an older brother named Moses Junior, the eldest in our family. Since my childhood, he has worked in the secret service of an army in East Africa. For security reasons, I will not disclose the country, as doing so could endanger my remaining family members who still live there.

"Growing up, my brother used to visit us every three months. His visits always brought joy to our parents and the rest of the family.

"Between 2015 and 2017, my brother was repeatedly imprisoned for short periods. This was due to his refusal or failure to carry out certain secret service duties, particularly assassinating individuals considered threats to the government. During that time, we were still able to visit him and knew where he was being held.

"After 2018, my brother went completely silent. We later heard that he had been imprisoned again, but despite searching for him in every military prison we could access, we never found him.

"Seven years have now passed without any trace of him. During these years, my family and I have suffered greatly while trying to find answers. Because I continued searching and asking questions about his whereabouts, unknown men began coming to my house. They threatened us, beat us, and warned us never to ask about him again. They emphasized that my brother worked for the army and secret service and that his fate was not for us to question.

"One Sunday, as I returned home from church, I found three men at my house threatening my sisters. They abducted me and kept me in a safe house deep in the forest for one month. During my captivity, they repeatedly warned me that if we contacted the police, my entire family would be killed. After a month, they released me, dropping me back at my home around 3–4 a.m.

" In 2021, they abducted my sister for several weeks. She was eventually released, but the trauma deeply affected her. Then, in February 2025, she once again inquired about my brother’s whereabouts. That was the last time I saw her. She never returned home, and we strongly believe she was taken by the army.

"Because of these repeated threats, I decided to apply to study in the United States as a way to escape the danger. However, just three days before my departure, secret service officers came to my home. They sat me down, forced my mouth open, and attempted to cut out my tongue. I cried in fear as one of them said, “This boy will end up dying like others because he’s a threat to our mission.” They beat me severely and left me traumatized.

" I eventually managed to travel to the United States, but I remain in constant fear. I cannot return to my country because I know they will kill me. My family is still at risk, and I cannot reveal my real name publicly, as this would put them in even greater danger.

"For these reasons, I am seeking asylum in the United States, as it is the only way I can live in safety and escape the ongoing persecution my family and I have endured.

"I can’t mention my name because they will kill all my family members, they are dangerous and can even find me in the U.S. 

" I can only disclose parts of my Annotation : xxxxx6660302 and 

Control Number: xxxxx888620033, to give you an inkling of my identity, in order for people not to doubt my story," he disclosed.

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