By Haja Adama Mansaray
Sources reaching this medium disclosed that Fuad Turay, from the Leicester Road community in Rural Freetown, narrowly escaped a violent mob attack after he was discovered in a private, consensual encounter with another man—an incident that triggered severe hostility from community members.
According to sources, Fuad had frequently been seen with another young man, Mohamed Kamara, and many community members had assumed they were simply friends involved in football and other social activities. However, on 6 January 2021, their relationship became publicly exposed when they were unexpectedly discovered by Fuad’s sister, Fatmata Turay, in his room.
When this medium visited the family home at Leicester Road, Fuad’s father, Santigie Turay, expressed deep distress over the situation, noting that he holds a respected position in the community and within the local mosque. Both he and other family members acknowledged the intense community pressure and hostility surrounding the issue. Statements made by family members and residents reflected widespread intolerance, with some community figures endorsing severe punishment for individuals suspected of same-sex relationships.
Fatmata Turay recounted that she had returned home to collect her mobile phone, which she had left in Fuad’s room to charge, when she unexpectedly walked in and found Fuad and Mohamed together. She immediately raised an alarm, drawing a large group of youths into the home. Both men were forcibly removed from the house and beaten. As some youths attempted to escalate the assault, Fuad managed to flee into nearby bushes and has not been seen since. Mohamed Kamara, however, was beaten unconscious and later taken away.
Community youths interviewed stated that they did not intend to hand Fuad over to the police, expressing the belief that mob action would be a “faster” form of punishment. Sierra Leone criminalizes same-sex intimacy, and individuals accused of such behavior face significant legal consequences as well as severe social and community-based violence.
The incident involving Fuad Turay and Mohamed Kamara reflects broader patterns of mob justice and persecution faced by individuals suspected of same-sex relationships in various parts of the country. Reports suggest that law enforcement often fails to intervene or protect victims in such situations.
As we go to press, the whereabouts of Fuad Turay remain unknown.