By Marius Kamara
25-year-old Mohamed Sheriff, formerly of 8 Fort Street, State House Avenue in Freetown has been declared wanted by the Sierra Leone Police after being confirmed missing.
This is according to the Local Unit Commander (LUC) of the Central Police Division, Superintendent Samuel Sesay who was addressing newsmen at the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Monday 9th September 2020.
He said the Sierra Leone Police has mounted investigations and declared Mohamed wanted for what they alleged as a gay act with a schoolboy aged 18years named Bockarie Kamara on 6th September 2020; a crime he said is an offence against the State.
LUC Sesay told newsmen that if and when arrested, Mohamed will be dragged to court and if and when found guilty, will serve a jail term of not less than 35 years with hard labour.
He said after being caught on the act, Mohamed was arrested and detained at the Eastern Police Division where he criminally escaped through the help of some corrupt police personal who were on duty that night.
The LUC said the corrupt police personnel have been arrested and are currently under investigation.
Also addressing newsmen at the police press conference was an Islamic scholar, Imam Zubairu Kamara – father to the victim.
He said he was amazed to notice that the accused has done such a devilish act on his son.
He appealed to the police to help him arrest Mohamed Sheriff and let him face the law accordingly.
“I cannot sit down and watched him bring shame and disgrace to my family with such a devilish act which is strongly against my religious and traditional beliefs. Please arrest him and send him to prison for his entire life term. It will please me to see him perishing in jail”. Imam Kamara appealed to the police.
At the press conference addressing journalists also were Mr. Mohamed Sheriff Snr. and Mrs. Bendu Sheriff, parents of the accused Mohammed Sheriff.
In a bitter tone of voice, the parents said they would not regret if their son is reported death anywhere and in any circumstances, stating that it will be better for him to die rather than living and continue bringing disgrace and shame to their family.
They assured that they will stop at nothing right now to see that Mohamed is arrested and handed over to the police.
They said his devilish act has brought disgrace to their family because according to them, both their religion and tribe are against any form of homosexuality.
Mr. Sheriff said: “I was surprised to have returned from Mosque on that day to receive a call from Imam Kamara informing me that my son was caught having sexual affairs with his son at the back of their house.
He said without wasting time, he went there and met a very angry scene with hundreds of young people demanding my son’s head and life for desecrating the land with such an act.
He said he personally escorted Imam Kamara and some community people to the police to report his son.
The search for Mohamed Sheriff has gained more momentum after the Muslim community has dismissed his father from the Mosque where he was serving as deputy Imam of the Freetown Central Mosque as a part penalty for his son’s unIslamic act.
Among others hunted gays, Mohamed Sheriff is top on the police search and wanted list and if caught today, he will face brutal death in the hands of his hunters or face life imprisonment with hard labour by law.
However, there have been lots of moves by human rights organisations and advocates to get the government to expunge these draconian laws from the country’s law books but to no avail.
Sources have it that these attempts by human rights advocates have all failed because the act of Lesbianism and Gay is against religious beliefs as Sierra Leone is a Muslim and Christian-dominated state with high respect and regards for religion.
