By Mohamed Bah
Elders and youth groups in Petema Section of Kenema District have jointly vowed to combat and purge same-sex relationships from their community, saying such relationships clash with the area’s cultural, religious and social values.
Petema Section, one of the largest communities in Kenema city in the Eastern Province, is described as strongly traditional with a majority Muslim population and conservative social mores. The decision followed the banishment of a man, identified as Rafiue Bendu, after he was caught with a male partner. Bendu is a mosque member and the nephew of a sub-Imam; the incident involved worshippers at Dama Road Central Mosque (Fullah Mosque), according to the report.
Hassan Daniel Massaqui, a youth leader in the community, said Bendu’s actions were considered an “abomination” and contrary to their Muslim faith. “Anyone practising same-sex activity should have no place in our community,” he said.
Speaking about his reaction to the incident, Massaqui said: “At the time Rafiue Bendu was caught I was not around. Trust me, if I was around I would have made sure those two people were beaten to death. Their action did not only go against our customs, tradition and our belief, but goes against our religion.”
He also threatened that any person caught again would face severe punishment.
The local chief of Petema Section, Pa Santigi Kallon, strongly condemned same-sex practices, describing them as “satanic,” and warned that anyone found practising same-sex relations would be banished from the community.
The mosque’s Imam, Alhaji Amadu Alpha Bah, said: “If Rafiue Bendu was my son, by now he would not have been alive because I would have killed him myself.” He described the act as “evil” and said the person “would not be allowed to live in the community.”
Alhaji Bah added that many people had condemned the youths’ actions toward Bendu and his partner, but emphasised that, in his view, same-sex practices were not only contrary to local culture and beliefs but also unlawful under Sierra Leonean law. As local head of the community, he said he would work with religious leaders and youth groups to ensure the incident did not recur.
