By Abdul Rahman Kamara
A gay, Abdullai Barie is reportedly missing for months now, a family source said.
Barie who stayed at 13 Balansama Street, Kabala town in the northern Sierra Leone has been on the run fearing for his life, after he is reported to have been violently attacked by unknown persons.
Reports say he sustained some minor bruises during the attack that led to his eventual disappearance.
The attack, the report continued, came after Abdullai was caught pant down with his gay partner in his home which raised many questions and suspicion and has been seen as a taboo by the community people who have always perceived gay acts or relationship as evil and that it goes against customs and traditions in many parts of the country especially the rural areas where many human rights abuses are taking place glaringly.
After this incident, Barie is reported to have been chased by some community people who also rained insults on him and threatened his life.
Family sources say the incident occurred on 18th July 2018 when he was caught with his gay partner, Patrick Williams after they had come from a night club and had relaxed in the room having a good time.
Barie’s stepfather was the one who first noticed the couple in the room making love.
The source said.
“The door was not closed, he saw them in motion, they were shocked, they escaped through the window after his uncle raised the alarm’’ an eye witness said.
“It was Williams who jumped through the window and ran immediately but Abdullai was unfortunately rushed at by the neighbours who came to the scene.
They crowd started manhandling him, beat him up; and he shouted for help but no one listened before he narrowly escaped, of course he sustained some injuries” a relative of Abdullai revealed.
The report said, Abdullai ended in taking refuge in the hands of the paramount chief who later asked his chiefdom police officers to take him to the hospital where he was given a first aid treatment .
Abdullai later escaped in the hospital where he was admitted briefly, the report said; noting that he feared that he will be fined by the traditional authorities who had warned against such gay practices.
