When Ebola swept through Sierra Leone in 2014, it left thousands dead and many children orphaned. Among them was Daniel Said Jalloh, born on 1 March 2005, whose father, a respected chief imam, died during the outbreak.
Daniel grew up in Kissy Brook in the east of Freetown. A friend who preferred anonymity said the imam’s death destabilized the family almost immediately.
“When his father died, everything collapsed,” the friend said. “He lost protection, financial support and access to school at the same time.”
Like many Ebola affected households, Daniel’s family struggled to recover economically. During that period of vulnerability, a married businessman operating around Ferry Junction reportedly offered Daniel work in his business. According to the anonymous friend, what began as assistance later turned into sexual exploitation, with the man allegedly taking advantage of Daniel’s economic dependence and youth.
The situation escalated in early March 2022 in the Thunder Hill area. Rumors spread through the community and reportedly reached the businessman’s wife, who contacted the police. Tensions quickly intensified.
Days later, Daniel and the businessman were discovered together at Thunder Hill. The businessman was beaten by a group of youths and later taken to the police, while Daniel managed to escape.
In the aftermath of the incident, Daniel reportedly became the subject of community hostility and police interest.
“Some youths in the community were looking for him, and the police were also searching,” the anonymous friend said. “He was afraid for his life.”
Fearing arrest amid increasing victimization, Daniel fled. His whereabouts remain unknown.
The hostile environment surrounding Daniel’s case reflects broader tensions in Sierra Leone regarding homosexuality. Same sex intimacy between men remains criminalized under the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, which provides for severe penalties including life imprisonment. The law contributes to stigma and reinforces social hostility.
Around the same period as Daniel’s exposure, a group of imams in the Thunder Hill settlement organized a public protest against homosexuality. Videos circulating on social media showed clerics and supporters marching through the streets carrying placards reading “No to Homosexuality in Sierra Leone.” Chanting religious slogans, including “Allahu Akbar,” the group declared their opposition to any perceived normalization of same sex relationships.
One of the leaders stated during the march that youths in the community were attempting to legalize homosexual behavior, which he described as unacceptable under Islamic teachings. He called on Muslims to unite against it and insisted that homosexuality would not be tolerated in Thunder Hill.
Such public demonstrations, combined with criminal laws and strong religious opposition from both Muslim and Christian leaders, create a climate of fear for individuals perceived to be gay. Legal analysts say that even without frequent court convictions, the existence of the law often emboldens vigilante reactions and mob justice.
For Daniel, according to his friend, the consequences have been severe.
“For Daniel, there is only one choice,” the friend said. “Leave and never come back, or risk being mobbed by irate youths. He already lost his father to Ebola and his education to poverty. Now he has lost his home
