By: Alie Abdis Turay
Kandeh Koroma is a young promising Sierra Leonean who hailed from a fanatic Islamic home in Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone. He has lost his biological Mother when he was a child and raised up by his step Mother. Mr. Kandeh Koroma is a very hardworking young man with a multi-tasking character; his Father put him to a Koranic school and does business together. According to sources, Kandeh got missing in January 20, 2020 due to the severe persecution and threats to his life because of his sexual orientation.
An eye-witness spoke to this medium that Mr. Kandeh Koroma was into same sex relationship with one of his prominent business customers; according to our source, this information was made known to Kandeh’s father through gossip-mongers; his father being one of the Imams of the most popular mosques in Freetown, had mobilized able-bodied men to closely monitor Kandeh’s moves. Despite their efforts to be discreet, rumors started to spread. On one fateful evening, his Father and some able-bodied men caught him red-handed having sex with his gay partner in the premises of his colleague at Fourah bay road Freetown. At this point, they were thoroughly beaten and according to eye-witnesses, two able-bodied men held Kandeh strongly and his Father used a knife and cut off his lip which resulted to a serious injured in the mouth. He was left lying half-dead on the street when his friends came to rescue him. They rushed him to a local Pharmacy where he spent some reasonable time to recover. Yet, his father declared him a persona non-grata, promising to kill him if he set eyes on him again.
Unfortunately, in Sierra Leone, being gay is not only stigmatized but also criminalized and can lead to one losing his life if known for such. For some family, gay and lesbian relatives are declared wanted. The laws of the country consider same-sex relationships illegal, punishable by imprisonment, and even corporal punishment. The social environment is equally hostile, with widespread homophobia deeply rooted in the culture and society.
Mr. Kandeh Koroma’s step mother narrated that from a young age, she knew Kandeh was different. She realized that Kandeh was attracted to other boys, but she kept this a secret due to the fear of rejection, violence, and legal consequences. She further stated that Kandeh faced constant bullying and harassment in Koranic School because he did not conform to traditional masculine norms. The situation worsened as he got trapped by his father’s mobilized able-bodied men. Since January 2020, Kandeh is nowhere to be found.