By Foday Moriba Conteh

Reports of alleged physical attacks and intimidation against persons accused of engaging in same-sex relationships have resurfaced in Freetown following an incident involving Michael Vandyke in Bellair Compound, Dwarzark Community.

According to information gathered by The Calabash Newspaper, Vandyke has reportedly gone into hiding after he was allegedly caught engaging in a same-sex encounter with his male partner, John Sesay, at the residence of his uncle, Prince Vandyke, who is a pastor.

Sources said Vandyke, who was reportedly living with his uncle, was at the residence on Sunday, October 9, 2022, when the incident occurred. His male partner had allegedly visited him at the house shortly after Vandyke celebrated his birthday on Friday, October 7, 2022.

According to the account, Vandyke and Sesay were allegedly engaged in a sexual encounter in the living room when his uncle and several church members who had accompanied him to the residence for a planned meeting reportedly arrived and discovered them.

The discovery allegedly resulted in a confrontation, during which Vandyke was reportedly physically assaulted by his uncle and some of the church members present. He allegedly sustained injuries before managing to escape from the residence.

Following the incident, sources said Vandyke's uncle reported the matter to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the New England Ville Police Division.

It was further alleged that police officers subsequently went to Vandyke's residence in an attempt to locate and arrest him, but he had already gone into hiding.

Sources claimed that Vandyke was subsequently declared wanted by the CID at the New England Ville Police Division.

The situation reportedly escalated when some community youths allegedly went to Vandyke's residence carrying stones and sticks and allegedly threatening to harm him.

According to sources, the youths expressed anger over the alleged same-sex relationship, citing their religious beliefs, customs and traditions.

A resident of Bellair Compound, Alie Kamara, who reportedly knew Vandyke from childhood, claimed that Vandyke had been private about his sexual orientation before he was allegedly discovered with his male partner.

Vandyke's Christian background and the fact that he was living with a pastor have also reportedly heightened the reaction within the family and community.

However, in Sierra Leone generally Lesbianism, Homosexual or (Gay), Bisexual, transgender and Intersex (IGBTI) was condemned in the strongest terms both legally and morally.

According to the laws of Sierra Leone Section 13, Sub Section 5 of the 1995 Public Order Act, for anybody who commit homosexual (Gay), the maximum penalty for homosexual acts is life imprisonment, while the Minimum penalty for attempted homosexual acts is imprisonment for 20 years.

Family sources told The Calabash Newspaper that Vandyke fled the area following the incident and that his whereabouts remain unknown.

The sources expressed serious concern about his safety, particularly following the alleged threats and reported attempts by community members to locate him. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/archives/63649