LESBIAN WOMAN FLEES SIERRA LEONE AMID POLICE PURSUIT AND FAMILY PRESSURE
By Ibrahim Alusine Kamara
A Sierra Leonean woman, Esther Bernard, has fled the country under a cloud of controversy, after facing mounting hostility over her lesbian relationship, a police warrant of arrest, and relentless pressure from her partner’s family. Her whereabouts remain unknown, sparking fear among relatives that she may have fallen victim to persecution.
Esther’s troubles began in 2021 when she entered a same-sex relationship with a woman named Hannah. The union provoked outrage from both families and attracted wider community hostility. Hannah’s family, in particular, reportedly made repeated threats to “eliminate” Esther and, by 2021, had sought legal means to separate the couple.
The situation escalated when Esther was accused of assaulting Hannah following a dispute. A formal complaint was lodged at the Kissy Police Station, and Esther was invited for questioning. When she failed to report, police issued a warrant of arrest, intensifying the standoff.
Amid the combined weight of legal trouble, community hostility, and Hannah’s family’s desperation to end the relationship, Esther fled Sierra Leone on November 27, 2021, aided by her elder brother, Moses. That was the last time he saw or heard from her.
Her case underscores the peril faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Sierra Leone, where same-sex relationships remain criminalized under colonial-era laws. Rights defenders say Esther’s flight was not only an attempt to escape arrest but also a desperate bid to survive in a country where both the law and society remain deeply hostile to people like her.