A 40-year-old Ghanaian is on the run for his dear life after receiving physical threats of death for practicing same sex relationship.
The victim, (name withheld), a resident of Atico, a suburb of Accra fled with his family for fear of being killed by the family members of his gay partner.
It is believed the victim fled the country few years ago, a family said.
The source who pleaded anonymity said he was saddened by development and was compelled to speak to the media about the issue although the incident occurred several years ago.
He said his cousin, the victim a married man was dating one Abdul Aziz, a long time Muslim male friend in New Fadama, also a suburb of Accra.
According to the source, the family of Aziz started issuing threats at the victim when the family found out their son’s amorous relationship with the victim was preventing their son from getting married.
Sources say that the relationship between the two men dated at least eight long years when Aziz was 21.
The source stated that Aziz who comes from a poor family was receiving financial support from the victim to see through an apprenticeship in New Fadama.
The source told the Times that the mother of Osman proposed a marriage between her son and her brother’s daughter in line with the Islamic tradition. But Aziz turned down the proposal with the excuse that he was into a relationship with someone else.
The source said that several months after turning down the family arranged marriage, Aziz’s childhood friend, Yusif, spotted Aziz in a rather unusual position with a male friend, adding that in order to satisfy his curiosity, the friend returned to the same spot another time where he spotted the two kissing.
The source said that Aziz friend left in utter shock and disbelief and then reported the incident to the family of Osman who subsequently accosted the victim.
According to the source, Aziz’s family and some irate youth in Fadama attempted to burn down the victim’s apartment one night but were stopped by a night patrol team police.
The source stated that he believed the attempt to burn the apartment of his cousin and his family was the reason his cousin fled. “It was a sad spectacle. I advised my cousin to stay away from this relationship because of the danger involved but he would not take any of my advise, ” the source said.
Same sex relationship is currently not tolerated in Ghana. The practice is considered a grave sin in Muslim communities and those who practice it suffer harsher punishment and in some instances, get killed.
The Parliament of Ghana is on the verge of passing an anti LGBTQI+ bill into law to criminalize activities of the LGBTQI+ community in Ghana.
Source: mypublisher24