The family of Chloe Collins, a 23-year-old originally from Kraaifontein, is desperate to bring their daughter home after discovering that she is being detained in the country of Oman.
According to reports, Collins has been in custody since May 9, and her family and legal representative maintain that she is being wrongfully detained.
Collins’ brother, who also worked in Oman, is alleged to have been involved in criminal activity in the country before he returned home to South Africa.
Collins’ brother has not formally been charged with any crime, but is being treated at a mental facility as it is reported that he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. This is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person feels, thinks and behaves. Many view those who are schizophrenic as having lost touch with reality, and although it is not commonly positively diagnosed, has very disabling symptoms.
“We don’t know what they are speaking about. We don’t have any charges. Any formal charges that have been made against Chloe, we have no idea,” her legal representative Simone Carolissen told EWN.
She added that Oman authorities are now demanding Collins’ brother in exchange for her freedom.
“What has come to light, though, is that they said they’ll release Chloe if we send her brother to Oman, which is not going to happen because we don’t know what she is being held for we don’t know what they are speaking about,” Carolissen said. “We’ve written to the Department of International Relations, to the Department of Justice, we’ve reached out to political parties but the buck has been passed.”
Information made available to Carolissen stipulates that Collins is constantly being interrogated in a foreign language and has also been refused legal representation in the foreign country. She has also not been allowed to contact her family in South Africa.
There is a Change.org petition to bring Collins back home, which can be signed here.
Picture: Chloe Collins/Facebook