A tale of tragedy and adversity, a close relative of Juma Jalloh told this press the devastating events that have upended Jalloh’s life. Narrating his ordeal, the relative who preferred not to be named said, On January 14th, 2017, Juma Jalloh was preparing for his upcoming WASSCE exams when disaster struck his family house at Pipe Line, Mortehmeh, west of the capital, Freetown.
It could be recalled that a massive mudslide claimed the lives of thousands of Sierra Leoneans, including Juma Jalloh’s mother, father, sister, and brother. The relative explains, “He only found out about his family’s death when he saw it on TV and heard it on various radio stations across the country. He rushed to the scene, but the police wouldn’t let him or anyone else get close.”
Devastated by the loss, the relative went on, Juma Jalloh was unable to see the bodies of his loved ones. Despite promises of aid from the Sierra Leonean president, the promised assistance never materialized. With no family to support him, he was forced to drop out of school, as he could no longer afford his fees.
Seeking refuge, the relative went on; he turned to his late mother’s sister, only to be rejected due to the “polygamy” of his late father, who was a Fula, while his mother was a Limba.
Authoritative sources from friends and relatives told this press that Juma Jalloh was in a gay relationship; one of his family members caught him in the act with his friend, whom he had been into for years, before the death of his father, mother, and other family members.
Facing ostracization, he was taken in by a friend, who helped him secure an apprenticeship with a driver. However, the driver soon proved to be abusive, and his friend exposed him as being gay, leading him and his other friends to flee out of the country.
As we went to press, the community vowed to kill Juma Jalloh and his gay friends if found. The community at Mortehmeh and its environs are currently in search of Juma Jalloh, who they say is a homosexual and has been accused of embarrassing the family and the Muslims and Christians who are against the evil act.
It is not easy being a homosexual or a member of any of the LGBT movements in Africa. However, in Sierra Leone, a country that has long been seen as a progressive African nation, being openly gay can lead to you either getting ostracized by friends and family, attacked and injured, or worse yet, murdered with no one to speak out or stand up for you.
Meanwhile, many young men and women in Sierra Leone who are gay continue to hide their sexual orientation for fear of being cut off by family members or being murdered or injured. While assault to cause serious bodily injury is the most common case in our courts and police stations, those who are gay get no relief from the law, as they are not only seen as criminals but also as an abomination to the society.
From their hideout, we gathered that the harrowing journey continued, with the pair enduring labour jobs to survive before attempting to travel out of the country, where they hoped to find better opportunities.
We have reliably learned that Juma Jalloh finds himself at an unknown destination in fear of his life if found in Sierra Leone, his dreams of completing his education and building a better life shattered by the devastating events that have upended his world.
