By Sarah Matttu Kamara
Osman Shaka Kanu has been declared wanted by the Sierra Leone Police, family members and some community members including religious groups in Makeni, Freetown and some other parts of the country, after being allegedly caught practicing gay act in a nearby bush in Sierra Leone’s third city, Makeni.
According to police who were addressing newsmen at a press conference on Friday 29th April, 2022 at the Police Headquarters in Freetown, Osman Shaka Kanu was reportedly caught red-handed buy a passerby, having sex through his anus, with a young man named Alimamy Mansaray in a nearby bush on Monday 25th April, 2022.
Police reports say both Osman and Alimamy were coming from their university campus on 25th April, when they chose to enter a secret society bush and have anal sex.
They were both caught by a passerby who shouted and alerted community members who then rushed to the scene to mob both Osman and Alimamy but fortunately for them, they were able to escape from the scene before the angry crowd could reach them.
The angry crowd, after Osman and Alimamy had escaped, rushed to Osman’s uncle’s house at 39 Shaid Kamara Street, where he was staying before the sinful incident, but could not meet him there.
In revenge, they ended up burning the whole house thereby killing one of his uncle’s sons who was sleeping in one of the rooms of the house unknowingly to the angry crowd.
What makes matters worse for Osman was when his father, Imam Ishaka Kanu – a senior Muslim scholar and preacher at the Lunsar Central Mosque, who is well honoured and respected by his faith (Islam) and congregations in the community, was disgracefully disrobed his position as Chief Imam of the mosque as a result of the disgraceful act of his son, Osman.
This led to his father’s death due to depression and hypertension. Further troubles loomed for Osman as his elder brother and his entire family are now searching for him, with more allegations of him causing the untimely death of his father.
Homosexual activity continues to be immoral behavior and misconduct activity based on the fact that it is still illegal in the country.
Police used such instances under petty crimes, despite the fact that there is no law against it, the public judge are based on morality mostly.
Osman’s brother, Mohamed Kanu said he would not regret it if Osman is reported death anywhere and, in any circumstance, stating that it will better for him to die with the level of disgrace he wanted to posed on their family because according to him, both his religion and tradition are against any form of homosexuality.
Osman’s uncle, Abubakarr Kanu, was sobbing in tears behind his family house being completely burnt down as a result of Osman’s sinful act.
Also, Samuel Sesay who happened to be one of the course mates of Osman in their University said Osman had been one of the most humble and quiet friends he ever had.
He said they both came from strong Islamic family backgrounds and that in their entire educational pathway, they had to attend Islamic schools.
Despite the fact that there are no laws in the country books that says anything about same sex there is no record of any same sex activity in the country as police continues to arrest and prosecutes people arrested in any alleged same sex affairs.
Campaigners and advocates on same sex rights were reported killed and others been harassed and humiliated seriously because Sierra Leone continues to practice and implement petty crime laws.
