“To work for Hannibal means to work for 22 hours a day, almost without eating, receiving blows at the slightest excuse, insults and a hunger wage paid once a year.”

These are the words of Hassan and Mona (false names), the Moroccan servant and his female colleague from Tunisia who a month ago dared file a report claiming that Hannibal Gaddafi had kidnapped and maltreated them. Hannibal Gaddafi is the fifth son of Colonel Gaddafi, the black sheep of the numerous Gaddafi family. His case has now become an international incident.

It was the paper Le Monde which succeeded last in tracking down Hassan and Mona last week in the Swiss “secret medical centre” where they are now living under special protection.

The case dates back to 12 July when Hassan and Mona, who had arrived the previous week in Geneva in the service of Hannibal and his pregnant wife Aline, succeeded in fleeing from the third storey of the Hotel Président-Wilson and went to the police to press charges against Hannibal.

Three days later, the Swiss federal police, despite resistance by the Libyan’s bodyguards, arrested Hannibal who spent two nights in a police cell while his wife was taken to a medical centre. Having been granted bail (e312,000), the couple left for Libya, angry and with vengeance on their mind.

Two Swiss businessmen (one from the Asean Brown Boveri company) were first arrested in Libya and then forced to seek refuge in the Swiss embassy, where they are still. Flights to Switzerland were cancelled, as was the oil flow. Ministers, lawyers and diplomats from both sides went to work. The break in relations with Berne was threatened many times. Hannibal, and all the Gaddafis, demanded that Switzerland apologises and that the case be closed, but the Swiss authorities repeat that this can only happen if Hassan and Mona withdraw their accusations. Otherwise, justice will have to take its course.

Will you withdraw your charges, Le Monde asked them. They replied that they would because even if they are not convicted, the Gaddafis will remain violent and they will always be the victims.

Meanwhile, Tripoli’s ire has affected Hassan’s family. His mother spent a month in a Libyan jail. When she was freed on 15 August and returned to Morocco, the doctors established she had been raped during detention and had lost many teeth. His brother, who is 24 years old, disappeared in Libya on 27 July and is still missing.

Hassan concluded: “I know what Hannibal’s men can do. But until the Swiss are kept in Libya and my brother is still missing, we will not surrender.”