A 19-year-old man narrowly escaped lynching by angry youth in Assin Fosu, situated in the Central Region, following suspicions of being gay.
Reports indicate that the teenager travelled from Kasoa Opeikuma to meet a 20-year-old man but was apprehended by some young men in the area.
The suspect allegedly got the victim’s contact from a WhatsApp group, reached out to him, and proposed a sexual encounter at a hotel in Assin Fosu.
Although the victim identified as not gay, he decided to meet with the suspect, leading to a group mobilising to confront him upon his arrival in Assin Fosu with the intent to “teach him a lesson”.
When the 19-year-old man arrived at the designated spot, he was ambushed and subjected to severe violence.
During questioning, he allegedly admitted to being gay for the past two years after being influenced by a friend while in Senior High School (SHS).
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He added that he had come to the town to engage in sexual activity and had been motivated to continue due to financial challenges and a need for survival.
Meanwhile, the swift intervention of Ibrahim Kankam Danso, the Assembly Member for the Trafo Electoral Area, prevented the suspect from being lynched, although he sustained bruises all over his body.
Mr. Danso also revealed that he reached out to the suspect’s mother to inform her about the incident.
The suspect, whose name was withheld, was later handed over to the family with no official complaint lodged with the police in the Central Region.