By Andrew Nsoseka
The Managing Director of Best Link Cleaning Services, Cameroon born British citizen Martin Oben and wife Rebecca Oben have been arrested, and a huge amount of money in cash, taken from their home, as they are being investigated by the Bedfordshire and Leicestershire Police for alleged involvement in forced labour and slavery.
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The 40-year-old Martin Oben and wife Rebecca were both arrested at their home in Dunstable Bedfordshire London on July 23, 2019, after workers of his sub-contractor raised an alarm against their employer for the non-payment of their wages despite the execution of their assigned tasks for the period.
Martin Oben, the Managing Director who is a father of five told Atlantic Chronicles that a colossal sum of 43,000 Pounds and FCFA 50 Million was collected in cash from his apartment in Dunstable Bedfordshire London by the Police when he was arrested alongside with his wife. He recounted that the passports of his five children were confiscated after they were taken to an unknown destination, while the entirety of his contracts both in the UK and Africa have been grounded with clients warned not to have links with him, or make any payments. Employees of Best Link Cleaning Services in Africa and London have all lost their jobs because of the incident. The subcontractor Rene Wa Lushiku is still behind bars but the Managing Director who was arrested and later released after interrogation says his family is under the Police radar and sees the whole drama as a ploy from the 20 Romanian employees and their employer to tarnish the reputable image of Best Link Cleaning Services.
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“My sub-contractor was arrested two days before the police came to my house in London. My wife and I were taken down to the Leicestershire Police and after serious interrogation, we were released on very stringent bail conditions which we are respecting. Without giving you details it is important to note that all my staff has been grounded in Africa and London and contractual obligations suspended pending the close of the police investigation. This case is looking like the Romanians against my company but so far the Romanian sub-contractor is already behind bars’’ Martin Oben said.
The arrest of Martin Oben, and grounding of his businesses has resulted in immeasurable hardship in the handling of both his family and business. His children no longer live normally, as before, as they now struggle to survive.
Oben hopes that justice should take its course as the police close-up with their
investigation which has been termed “operation silk’’
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