Reports reaching this medium from Water Loo, Western Urban Sierra Leone, revealed that one Mohamed Turay, a young man said to have been found in a compromising situation with a fellow man at his home by his father, narrowly escaped death in the hands of community youths after his father had allegedly handed him over to the youths for ‘treatment’.
According to investigation mounted by this medium, Mohamed Turay comes from a very devout Muslim family, with the father, Ali Turay, said to be a respected member in the Muslim jamaat in the chiefdom. It was also revealed by family members, including his mother, Adama Turay, that they had no idea that Mohamed is gay, and only got to know about his sexual orientation when he was caught red-handed by his father in his room.
Explaining further about the circumstances of the discovery, family members stated that they have been seeing both Mohamed and his friend, Mohamed Sankoh, together, but had never thought that their relationship had anything to do with what they described as “demonic practice”. Both men had often gone out and they thought that it was the usual night-out that young men engage in, and did not know that this unholy act had been on-going between them. They disclosed that on this fateful day, the father, Ali Turay had gone out, as well as other family members on different businesses. To their surprise, on their return, they met a crowd at their house with Mohamed and Friend naked in their hands, with the father standing in their midst. On their arrival, Ali Turay, Mohamed’s father, explained that he discovered both his son and friend naked in a compromising position in the room, He further told them that he then took their belongings and threw them on the street and alerted the youths and neighbors about what he had discovered. They also confirmed that Mohamed was beaten and later taken away by the community youths, It was further disclosed that the community had a group of youths who acted as vigilantes, and these took control of any matter that threatens their society, and being gay was one of such matters. So they took him away. When pressed further about the whereabouts of Mohamed Turay, they said that since he was taken away, they have not seen him, nor know whether he was still alive, stressing that they were all forbidden by Mohamed’s father to enquire about him.
To further throw light on what happened to Mohamed after he was taken away by the youths, we engaged some young men believed to be friends of Mohamed, who told us on condition of anonymity that the Youths took Mohamed into a bush with the intention of ‘teaching him a lesson’ ( another way of saying to be killed), but that Mohamed managed to escape with injuries all over his body, into the thick forest, pursued by the angry youths. They furthered that they were prevented from following them, and could not say whether Mohamed was caught and later killed or whether he succeeded in finally escaping from them. All they can say is that if Mohamed was able to escape, he could not return to the district and if seen anywhere in the country, he will face death at the hands of more bigger crowd.
The practice of same sex by either male or female in Sierra Leone is taboo and unheard of, and anyone caught in such act is termed a Satanic agent or demonic person, and whatever community that person resides is said to be cursed. Any family discovered to be harboring such individual is excommunicated and often banished to live in the forest. The practice is illegal in the country and an offense that carries life imprisonment penalty. The police seldom interfere in such matters if the victims are caught, and often turn a blind eye to what the community does to them, as a result the family members of Mohamed who are in sympathy with him dare not go to the police or let the father or community members know of their empathy.
They told this medium that Mohamed had escaped, as the information from some angry youths who visited their house on the night that he was taken away expressed desperation in their search for h9im and even threatened to burn down the house if he is found hiding there. They also disclosed that since that day the whereabouts of Mohamed Turay has not been known, and are fearful of him being alive.
