By Karifa Thoronka
In September 2022, Mohamed Foday Kabia was attacked by a group of family and community people while he was going home from work. He was severely beaten, wounded and almost killed for being a gay rights advocate. He was taken away from the scene by some sympathizers of his work after he was left to die.
Mohamed is an Amnesty International employee who holds a degree in law. While narrating the story of Mohamed, a close family member Musa Sesay, not his real name, noted that Mohamed started working as a gay rights activist in 2014 when his best friend was killed for being a gay. He continued by saying that Mohamed has been a staunch advocate of gay rights since his university days.
He further pointed out that Mohamed was born in a Muslim household and his father is a fervent Muslim who detests Gays and Lesbians in his community and country so when he found out that his son (Mohamed) has been a strong supporter and advocate of gays for years, he furiously vowed to kill him by any means possible.
It is significant to note that male same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Section 61 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861, and carries a sentence of imprisonment for life under Sierra Leonean law. Therefore, any involvements in activities that promote gay rights is not only prohibited by law but also subject people like Mohamed to discrimination, assaults and credible death threats in their communities.
In May 2016, police disrupted and shut down an LGBTI social event in Aberdeen; officers arrested 18 participants including Mohamed Foday Kabia and held them in custody overnight before being released. The experience of a 31-year-old IT student known as Francis Samuel Faya who was among those arrested at the time highlights the arbitrary nature of the arrests and the dangers of the anti-gay laws in our country.
He had been hired by the gathering organizers to fix their projector and was waiting to be paid when the police arrived. “I tried to explain to the police, but they refused to listen to me,” he said. “I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time” he concluded.
Mohamed has been missing since he was assaulted and almost killed by his family and community members. Some eyewitness said he has been taken to the hospital. I tried to interview him on the following Sunday morning at the hospital, but I was not granted access by the hospital authorities.
