Death in Dubai: 2. Not the first to die

Summary

World of Secrets – Death in Dubai: Episode 2 "Not the First to Die"

BBC World Service | Aired: September 22, 2025
Host: Renaco Celina

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Episode Overview

This episode delves into the tragic story of Monica ("Mona Kizz"), a young Ugandan woman whose death in Dubai became global tabloid fodder and social media spectacle. But beneath the viral rumors and ugly hashtags lies a darker truth about the vulnerabilities and exploitation African women face when seeking work in the Gulf. Through first-hand testimonies—including Monica’s relative Michael and an anonymous witness—the episode explores Monica’s life and death, the dubious recruitment networks, and the indifference or complicity of authorities in Dubai. The theme: Monica is not the first to die under such circumstances, and unless something changes, she won’t be the last.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Monica’s Departure from Uganda

• Monica’s family celebrates with a farewell party as she prepares to leave for Dubai.
• [02:36] Michael (pseudonym, father figure to Monica) shares Monica's excitement but quickly voices his concerns about the dangers of migrating to Dubai under ambiguous circumstances:
  • "Monica, if you are going to Dubai, make sure the luggage you are going to go with you, check them thoroughly... I have been following the social media stories for those girls who go to Dubai carrying drugs and they end in prison." – Michael [03:07]
• Michael warns Monica of the risks, particularly around trafficking and being drawn into illegal activity.

The Reality on Arrival

• [06:14] Michael also migrates to the UAE, only to be deceived by his local agent—no job awaits him.
  • "It is a hell on earth. They treat us badly. But there is no any other choice." – Michael [06:35]
• Monica’s communications become increasingly sporadic and troubled, and Michael senses something is wrong.

Monica’s Hidden Struggle

• Over time, Monica confides she owes a huge debt ($27,000) to those who facilitated her move, implying she’s trapped in forced labor or something worse.
• Michael notices disturbing Instagram posts, not reflective of Monica, and suspects her account is being used against her will:
  • "Whatever was posted on her Instagram was not posted by her. No." – Michael [10:15]
• He realizes Monica is caught in “sexual serial trade”—sex trafficking.

Hopes of Escape & Sudden Loss

• Monica tells Michael about a "white boyfriend" who promises to bail her out by paying her debts.
• She calls Michael elated, believing that her ordeal is about to end.
  • "Brother, tomorrow I'm free. When I'm free, you come and see me." – Monica, as recounted by Michael [13:27]
• The next day, Michael receives the devastating news: Monica has died, reportedly falling from a tower block.

The Aftermath: Seeking Truth and Justice

• Michael rushes to the scene, then to the police despite his undocumented status.
  • "I don't care. Monica has died. Put me in. I just want to know why she has died." – Michael [19:12]
• Police claim that Monica’s death was a suicide, citing presence of drugs and alcohol, and halt the investigation:
  • "In UAE, when they find out someone was using drugs and was on alcohol, they stop their investigations. Then they concluded she committed suicide." – Police statement via Michael [20:10]
• Michael finds the investigation grossly inadequate.
  • "Did you think this investigation was enough?"/"It was not enough at all." – Renaco Celina & Michael [20:43]

Encountering Monica’s Boss & the Systemic Nature of Abuse

• Michael, helped by a Ghanaian contact, confronts Monica’s Ugandan “boss” at an apartment known for trafficking and sexual exploitation.
• The setting is shocking: young girls, drugs, men (many foreigners) exploiting them.
  • "What I saw... if Monica, that's the life she was going through. God has took her to rest." – Michael [24:28]
  • "Many of them were whites by the way. Many of them were whites, even older people." – Michael [25:04]
• Michael confronts the boss, who is dismissive and admits Monica is not the first victim:
  • "People die here all the time. Monica is not the first to die and she would not be the last." – Monica’s boss, paraphrased by Michael and confirmed by a witness [28:36], [29:13]
• The boss claims invincibility due to deep connections to police and embassies:
  • "My dear Brother, I spent 25 years in Dubai. Dubai is mine. I'm Dubai. There is nowhere you're going to report me... Embassy is me. I'm telling you this. There is no way you want to report me." – Monica's boss [27:37]
  • "The curses of a cockerel do not kill an eagle." – Ugandan proverb meaning he is untouchable [28:07]

Testimony from Inside

• Renaco cautiously contacts Monica's acquaintances. After initial fear, an anonymous witness agrees to talk:
  • "At first I thought I was scared... But I was like, maybe. Let me listen to you because I'm looking for justice for my friend Mona who died in Dubai. And up to now no one knows what really went on." – Anonymous witness [30:58]
• The witness confirms Michael’s story: Monica’s death was just one in a recurring pattern of exploitation and violence.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Leaving for Dubai:

  • "If you have got a chance to go to Dubai, you go and work, but make sure you are going to do a supermarket job." – Michael [04:02]

• On the Debt Trap and Human Trafficking:

  • "If not, I have to work for them until I pay them their money." – Monica to Michael [09:43]

• On the Indifference of Authorities:

  • "You have expired visa. I said, I don't care. Monica has died. Put me in. I just want to know why she has died." – Michael [19:12]
  • "When they find out someone was using drugs and was on alcohol, they stop their investigations. Then they concluded she committed suicide." – Police officer [20:10]

• On Monica’s Boss's Invincibility:

  • "Dubai is mine. I'm Dubai... Embassy is me. I'm telling you this. There is no way you want to report me." – Monica’s boss [27:37]
  • "Monica is not the first to die and she would not be the last." – Monica’s boss [28:36], echoed by an anonymous witness [29:13]

• On the Witness's Motivation:

  • "I'm looking for justice for my friend Mona who died in Dubai. And up to now no one knows what really went on." – Anonymous witness [30:58]

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Important Timestamps & Segments

• 02:36 — Monica discusses her plans and Michael warns of the risks.
• 09:20–10:43 — Michael discovers the extent of Monica's debt and his realization of her exploitation.
• 13:27 — Call from Monica, elated and hopeful on the eve of her death.
• 18:03–19:12 — News of Monica’s death; Michael’s response and journey to the police.
• 20:10 — Police declare suicide, citing drug use as their reason to stop the investigation.
• 21:27–24:28 — Michael’s confrontation with Monica’s boss in the den of trafficking.
• 28:36–29:13 — Boss declares Monica is not the first to die, confirmed by a witness.
• 30:58–31:20 — Anonymous witness shares motive for speaking out.

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Tone & Language

The episode is told in a somber, investigative, and empathetic tone, using first-person testimony to highlight the psychological toll and moral outrage of those caught up in Monica’s story. The language of the podcast is direct and raw, sometimes emotional, always deeply human. It is punctuated by moments of disbelief and anger at structural injustice, and quiet but persistent hope for accountability.

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Conclusion

This episode exposes how Monica’s death fits into a pattern of exploitative migration and silenced tragedy in Dubai. It shows how easily African women can be trafficked and discarded, and how systems in place—both criminal and official—conspire to evade justice. The episode ends with the commitment to continue investigating, promising deeper revelations in the next installment.

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For further inquiry:

• Next episode promises to include the perspective of women still in these networks, and continued attempts to confront complicit authorities.
• Listener advisory: Episode contains strong topics related to trafficking, suicide, and exploitation.

Transcript

[Renaco Celina]

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[Renaco Celina]

Episodes of World of Secrets are released weekly wherever you get your BBC podcasts. But if you're in the uk, you can listen to the full season right now first on BBC Sounds. And just to give you a heads up, this episode has some strong language. It's the weekend before Monica leaves for Dubai and her family are throwing her a farewell party on their farm in Uganda. They've slaughtered a goat and drinks are being prepared. Monica's helping get food ready and playing with the kids. She's excited, but someone important isn't here yet. A relative who's been like a father figure since her dad passed away. So Monica goes looking for him. She finds Michael weeding in the banana plantation nearby, and she tells him her big news.

[Michael]

She was like, at last, I have got a job in Dubai. Ah, wow, that's good. You're going with the company.

[Renaco Celina]

No, she tells Him, a close friend, has got me a job working in a supermarket.

[Michael]

So then I was like, how long have you been knowing this guy? She said, yes, we have been friends for long, since I've been Kampala. And he has also friends in Dubai and he has been taking girls there.

[Renaco Celina]

He puts down his tools.

[Michael]

I was like, Monica, if you are going to Dubai, make sure the luggage you are going to go with you. Check them thoroughly, you pack them yourself. Don't allow those guys to give you anything. Because I have been following the social media stories for those girls who go to Dubai carrying drugs and they end in prison.

[Renaco Celina]

With this warning ringing in her ears, Monica sits down under the shade of a coffee tree. Her whole mood has changed.

[Michael]

I saw her weeping, I saw her crying. She was, michael, I'm moving tomorrow. What you have told me, I'm scared.

[Renaco Celina]

At this point, Michael tries to reassure her. Be careful, he says, but take this opportunity.

[Michael]

I told her, if you have got a chance to go to Dubai, you go and work, but make sure you are going to do a supermarket job.

[Renaco Celina]

We will pray for you.

[Michael]

He tells her, I wish you the best. She was like, okay, okay now I'm fine, I'm fine. She gathered herself. She wiped the tears of the face. She went back to her mother's home.

[Renaco Celina]

Back to her leaving party. Two days later, she's off to Dubai. Michael will never see Monica again. This is World of Secrets Season 9 Death in Dubai. From the BBC World Service. I'm Renacco Celina. Episode 2 Not the first to Die It's a hot, humid day in Isinjiro, Monica's hometown. And I'm grateful when Michael suggests we meet in a cool high ceiling church. He wanted to meet here because this is a special place. It's where Monica was baptized. Michael isn't his real name.

[Michael]

I'm hiding my identity for this interview because what I'm telling you here, what I'm revealing to you now, they will hunt me down.

[Renaco Celina]

He fears they will hunt him down. But he's decided he has to speak out about what happened to Monica.

[Michael]

I have agreed to do this interview because you BBC people, you're all over the world. You're not police officers, it's not a court. But if these things ironed out, we pray you help us for the justice.

[Renaco Celina]

Justice for Monica. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Dubai International airport. It's early 2022, two months after Monica left for Dubai. And Michael's now heading there too.

[Michael]

The only destination we have as Ugandans who do manual work. It is Arab countries, uae. It is a hell on earth. They treat us badly. But there is no any other choice.

[Renaco Celina]

An agent has promised him a job as a security guard there. He sold all of his cows to raise the money for the visa and ticket. But when Michael arrives, there's no job.

[Michael]

The agent never had a job. He had lied to me.

[Renaco Celina]

He's now completely dependent on this agent. He's living in a bed space this guy's found for him in Abu Dhabi. It's a tiny room stacked high with bunk beds shared with other migrants. Michael can't afford a phone. He has to borrow his agents to call Monica. But getting hold of her is difficult.

[Michael]

She could send a message like now. You reply the message within two hours, the phone is off.

[Renaco Celina]

When Michael and Monica finally manage to talk and she realizes the situation he's in, she immediately offers to help. Of course she does. He says, that was typical Monica.

[Michael]

She said, come tomorrow, get a bus and call on this number. I will give you some money for upkeep. And also you see me. I was like, wow.

[Renaco Celina]

So Michael borrows some money from his agent and makes the four hour journey to Dubai. It's early morning when Michael arrives in Monica's neighborhood, Al Barsha, a residential suburb popular with expats. Not far from the Palm and Dubai Marina. He tries to get hold of her.

[Michael]

I called the phone number she gave me. It was off. I waited up to midday. Still the phone was off.

[Renaco Celina]

With no way to reach her and nowhere to stay, reluctantly, he takes the bus back to Abu Dhabi. Nearly a week. Nothing. No word. He's getting more and more worried. Then finally Monica emerges.

[Michael]

She called me on video, on Instagram video. She was like, michael, I'm sorry last time you came, but my phone was off. Even my phone was stolen. And I got a new phone.

[Renaco Celina]

Her story keeps changing. It's so strange. And she won't explain what's going on.

[Michael]

Are you fine? Because maybe as a relative, she never wanted to open the other side of her life to me. That's why sometimes she could cry. Then she starts smiling again.

[Renaco Celina]

They have a video call every week or so. Monica tries to put on a brave face. But eventually she opens up to him. She's in debt, she tells him, to the people who brought her to Dubai. They're telling her, she says that she owes them over 27,000 US dollars. 100,000 UAE Dirhams.

[Michael]

I was like, 100,000 Dirhams. She was like, yes, that's what those people, they are telling me. If not, I have to Work for them until I pay them their money.

[Renaco Celina]

Monica says she will explain everything later, asking him to just pray for her. In some of the voice messages she sends him, she's crying. And when Michael looks at her Instagram account, he's shocked by what he sees.

[Michael]

Smoking Susha, openly naked, dancing naked, posting a video on the Instagram for everyone to see. Without a Nikka, you just see her playing with parts for someone working in the supermarket can do that. No, whatever was posted on her Instagram was not posted by her. No.

[Renaco Celina]

He thinks he knows what's going on.

[Michael]

And that's when I knew. That's why she could not reply my messages. I knew now she was in a sexual serial trade.

[Renaco Celina]

The struggle to reach Monica, the tearful voice messages, the mentions of debt to Michael, it's all beginning to make sense.

[Michael]

I knew what she was facing. I cried. It was a very bad experience in my life to hear that, let me tell you. It took me some time, even days, thinking about that. If I had money, if I had already got a job, if I had already got an id, I could have gone to police to report what my relatives were going through. But I had no way. So the only thing I did, I had to put her in prayers.

[Renaco Celina]

He prays and prays, and sometimes they talk. Given his own situation as an undocumented African in the uae, there's not much she can do. But that doesn't stop him from trying, worrying, from thinking of any way that he can help her. Then, when they next manage to talk, she tells him things are looking up for her. She's made friends with a neighbor, a Ghanaian guy, who lets her use his phone to call Michael. And she sounds happy.

[Michael]

She said, michael, I have got a white boyfriend. He's going to bail me out. He's going to clear these people's money and I'll be free.

[Renaco Celina]

He remembers Monica telling him the guy had been a client. He's a mazungu, a white guy, English. She told him her situation, and he's taken pity on her. He's going to rent her an apartment, sort out her visa, and most importantly, he's going to pay off the debt she owes to the men who brought her to Dubai. But then she calls a few days later, crying. The guy has stopped answering her calls. Michael's worried, but he tries to reassure her by saying, that's a lot of money. Maybe it's just taking him a while to sort it out. It's nearly midnight on April 30, 2022, when she calls again. This time, her excitement's on a whole other level. She tells him her guy has sorted everything. Now she's partying with her girlfriends, celebrating the good news.

[Michael]

She was like, brother, tomorrow I'm free. When I'm free, you come and see me.

[Renaco Celina]

Monica's going to be free, he remembers thinking, feeling a huge sense of relief. Everything's going to be all right.

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[Renaco Celina]

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[Renaco Celina]

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[Renaco Celina]

It's Sunday and Michael heads to church. It's the one place in Abu Dhabi he gets a warm welcome. He's there all morning praying, seeing him and they give him some food. He hasn't eaten in a while. The night before he had that call from Monica where he remembers her saying she would soon be free. He should be elated but he has this strange feeling.

[Michael]

We prayed, we went through the service at the church. I was there physically but I don't know why I was not there spiritually.

[Renaco Celina]

After the service he heads back to his bed space.

[Michael]

When I reached in the room, my boss called me. Michael, come, come, come.

[Renaco Celina]

As he still doesn't have a phone, Rita, Monica's sister, has sent an urgent message for Michael to his agent.

[Michael]

The message was from my sister in Uganda asking Michael, can you confirm with us that Karunji Monica has died.

[Renaco Celina]

It can't be true. He thinks he only spoke to her last night. But his agent's phone is blowing up with notifications and alerts. He scrambles between them, opening all the.

[Michael]

WhatsApp the TikTok thing to us. All over Monica, you hear the screams of everyone who waits.

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A Ugandan woman died instantly after she jumped off.

[Renaco Celina]

People online are saying she fell from an apartment tower. Michael borrows money and makes the four hour journey to Dubai. When he arrives at the scene, there's police all over. They cordoned off the area. A crowd has gathered. Michael pushes through. Monica's remains are still on the ground.

[Michael]

Monica's body parts were sitting there. If God wishes. Now I also die. If God you can take me too.

[Renaco Celina]

Michael is in shock. But as Monica's only relative in the uae, he can't stop to grieve. He has to find out what's happened. Back home, Monica's family is distraught. They need answers too. As soon as morning breaks, he heads to Al Basha police station. Michael's visa has run out, so he's in the UAE illegally. Like many undocumented people, he usually keeps as far away from the police as he can. But he's got to do this.

[Michael]

At first they asked for the passport and visa. I showed them my passport, said you have, you have expired visa. I said, I don't care. Monica has died. Put me in. I just want to know why she has died.

[Renaco Celina]

He says the police tell him they've arrested two suspects. They're in the cells now.

[Michael]

Then the police officer told me the moment they reached the apartment, they found her passport and her belongings. The forensic people, they reached on the veranda. They found only Monica's fingerprints. There was drugs on the table. There was alcohol. He said when they entered in the room and found those two evidences, they could not continue with investigations.

[Renaco Celina]

To Michael, this is not good enough. He keeps pushing.

[Michael]

Then I asked him, as a police officer, have you looked in the camera of the building? You have not investigated the cause of her death? The police officer was like, do you know that this is uae? This is not Uganda. In uae, when they find out someone was using drugs and was on alcohol, they stopped their investigations. Then they concluded she committed suicide.

[Renaco Celina]

Did you think this investigation was enough?

[Michael]

It was not enough at all.

[Renaco Celina]

Michael manages to get a death certificate from the hospital. The family in Uganda send him the money to pay for it. But it doesn't say the cause of death. And now he's told he has 21 days to raise the money to bring Monica home for burial. Her family is waiting for answers, but Michael has none and nowhere to turn. Then he gets a call on the line. Is a stranger, but he recognizes his accent. It sounds like he's from Ghana.

[Michael]

This Ghanaian guy explained to me what had happened. This Ghanaian girl had two brothers.

[Renaco Celina]

These brothers live in the same block as Monica. She'd become friends with them. One of them was the man who'd been lending her his phone so that she could call Michael. And these brothers are the two suspects in custody. The man insists that they're innocent. He tells Michael they'd been at work all night and arrived home only after Monica had died. Michael doesn't know what to believe. But he rushes straight back to the Albasha police station. There, he says, the police confirm that the brothers arrived after Monica's fall. But they arrested them because they took photos at the crime scene.

[Michael]

So as me, a relative, I truly saw those boys were innocent. But you just want to put a blame on these innocent black Africans. These boys have no case. I said, officer, leave these guys to go.

[Renaco Celina]

After a lot of negotiation, the police eventually let the brothers go on the condition they'll report back for further questioning. They're all really grateful to Michael. And that's when one of them says he can help.

[Michael]

He said, michael, because of this, what you have done for my relatives, I'm taking you exactly to the boss. I know the boss of Monica. Let me take you there?

[Renaco Celina]

Monica's boss is this the Ugandan man that her sister Rita says she spoke to. The man who told her, your sister isn't normal.

[Michael]

So that guy said, why I'm taking you? Those guys are ruthless, A den of lions. He was scared of his life.

[Renaco Celina]

They are powerful men. He's warned with connections right to the top.

[Michael]

Those guys are connected to police. They are connected to Ugandan embassy. So expect expect anything from them.

[Renaco Celina]

And now Michael's on his way to confront them. The next morning, the Ghanaian man takes Michael to Al Basha, to a tall apartment building called Al Fahad. This is where Monica was living. They enter through the car park and get into the lift. Floor after floor, no one speaks. This is Michael's account of what happens next.

[Michael]

After stepping out of the rift, we found their Ugandans, big bodied guys at the door.

[Renaco Celina]

They pat him down before letting him enter the apartment.

[Michael]

If you're not strong hearted, you start crying immediately. Because what I saw in that room if Monica, that's the life she was going through. God has took her to rest.

[Renaco Celina]

Through a haze of shisha smoke, Michael looks around the room. People are drinking. There's cocaine on a table and in bedrooms and even on chairs out in the open, there are girls having sex with men.

[Michael]

Many of them were whites by the way. Many of them were whites, even older people. But you see the girls who were there, even Monica was much older than them. Even I cried, my sister, I cried. It was a horrible thing. We are all now looking at Monica's death. But who is there for those young girls? They are still there. They are there.

[Renaco Celina]

Michael, if you need a break, that is absolutely fine.

[Michael]

Yeah, let me first have a break.

[Renaco Celina]

Michael takes some time, has some water. But he's determined to explain what he remembers happening next. In the chaos of that room, he tries to find Monica's boss.

[Michael]

I started yelling. I started talking up on top of my voice. Can I see the boss who is here? That old man came out, he was sleeping. He came out with three young girls. He was now ordering. All you bitches, go back to where you were. Go back to your rooms.

[Renaco Celina]

This is Monica's boss. The Ghanaian man whispers to him.

[Michael]

He's a tall guy, black, red eyes with gray hair mixed with black hair. The moment I saw him, I knew though he was looking like he was an evil guy, very evil man. He doesn't have any sympathy with anyone. He had no sympathy. I grabbed him by neck. I was like a Ugandan at your old age. You might have even daughters of the same Age with these girls. Even some of these girls can be your grandchildren. You brought here all these young girls to do this. You are an old man and you're doing this.

[Renaco Celina]

The man stares back at him, realizing who he is.

[Michael]

He said, oh, you are the one. I hear that you're a relative to that.

[Renaco Celina]

Michael stares back. I'm going to report you to the police, he tells him. The man just laughs at him and says.

[Michael]

My dear Brother, I spent 25 years in Dubai. Dubai is mine. I'm Dubai. There is nowhere you're going to report me. Either the police, either to the king, either the very minister. Embassy is me. I'm the embassy. I'm telling you this. There is no way you want to report me.

[Renaco Celina]

He then says a Ugandan proverb, the curses of a cockerel do not kill an eagle, meaning he's so powerful, there's nothing Michael can do. Their voices are raised and all the girls, some of them half naked, have crowded round to watch. The Ghanaian man is trying to calm Michael down, but he keeps going.

[Michael]

I asked him, old man, what caused Karunji Monica's death? That old man told me, even in front of those young girls, people were there in the room. Monica is not the first to die and she would not be the last.

[Anonymous Witness]

He was like, she's not the first one to die and not going to be the last.

[Renaco Celina]

Michael says there were lots of girls in the apartment that day, that they saw what happened and heard everything. But given what Michael's told me about Monica's boss, will any of them talk? If I reach out to girl still under his roof, will it get back to him? I need to find out what happened to Monica. But it if I tip off the man I'm investigating, he could shut everything down. Or worse. I spend hours trawling through Monica's friends online, trying to work out who to approach. I send a few cautious messages. One girl blocks me straight away. Then a couple of days later, I get a message.

[Anonymous Witness]

There's this man who brings girls from you Uganda to the prostitution.

[Renaco Celina]

She's really nervous about talking. She's worried whatever she says will get back to this man. I try to reassure her. Hey, thank you so much again. I just wanted to say I'm not trying to dig into you or anyone around you. All I want is someone who can tell me the facts when it relates to Monica. And I would never ever reveal who has given me that information. Eventually, she does agree to talk. An actor's voicing her words and we've been careful not to include any details that could reveal her identity. I ask her what went through her mind when I first got in touch.

[Anonymous Witness]

At first I thought I was scared. I thought maybe some people are trying to trick me. But I was like, maybe. Let me listen to you because I'm looking for justice for my friend Mona who died in Dubai. And up to now no one knows what really went on.

[Renaco Celina]

She says she was in the apartment that day. She saw Michael confront her boss and heard what he said.

[Anonymous Witness]

He was like, she's not the first one to die and not going to be the last.

[Renaco Celina]

And Kieran knows what world Monica was caught up in there in Dubai because she was too. That's next time on World of Secrets. We contacted Albasha police station requesting to see the case files for both Monica and Kayla. They did not reply. Then we invited the police to respond to allegations that Monica and Kayla's deaths had not been properly investigated. Again, they did not reply. This has been episode 2 of 6 of Death in Dubai, season 9 of World of Secrets. Thank you for listening. Please leave us a review. It really helps us to get the word out. World of Secrets Death in Dubai is produced by Ruth Evans, Lee Chung Bondo and me, Renaco Salina. The sound design and mix is by Andy Fell. The editor is Rebecca Henschke. Voiceover by Savannah. It was a BBCI investigation produced in association with Thread Studios.

[Hands Tied Podcast Narrator]

Liz went from being interested in true crime to living true crime. My husband said, your dad's been killed. This is Hands Tied, a true crime podcast exploring the murder of Jim Melgar.

[Renaco Celina]

I was just completely in shock.

[Hands Tied Podcast Narrator]

Liz's father, murder, murdered, and her mother found locked in a closet, her hands and feet bound.

[Renaco Celina]

It didn't feel real at all.

[Hands Tied Podcast Narrator]

More than a decade on, she's still searching for answers.

[Renaco Celina]

We're still fighting.

[Hands Tied Podcast Narrator]

Listen to Hands tied on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.