Mob Attack Victim Flees Ghana Amid Renewed Parliamentary Push for Anti-Gay Law

A Ghanaian man, Osei Ignatius Afriyie, has fled the country after surviving a brutal mob attack linked to his alleged same-sex relationship, just as Ghana’s Parliament reopens debate on a controversial anti-LGBTQ bill.

Afriyie, 45, who was born in Takoradi, says his ordeal began when his wife discovered intimate text messages between him and another man. Although he married in 2006 under intense family pressure, he says he never felt romantically connected to his wife and struggled privately with his sexual orientation.

As word of his bisexuality spread, Afriyie says he was rejected by church members, lost customers, and was abandoned by friends, leaving him socially isolated and economically vulnerable.

Same-Sex Relationship, Mob Violence and Escape

Speaking from his base in Canada, Afriyie recounted that his first same-sex relationship began in 2007 but ended when his partner relocated abroad. Years later, he entered another relationship that would ultimately place his life in danger.

On February 2, 2023, during a family gathering in Bantama, Ashanti Region, Afriyie and his partner slipped away to a nearby guesthouse. Their presence was reportedly discovered, and a mob allegedly dragged them outside and subjected them to a vicious beating. Afriyie says his right leg was dislocated during the assault.

Following the incident, he claims he received repeated death threats and was tracked by individuals in his community. Matters worsened when his business was later set ablaze in what he believes was a targeted attack.

Fearing for his life, Afriyie fled first to Accra and later secured a visa to Canada, where he is currently seeking asylum.

Parliament Reopens Anti-Gay Bill Debate

Afriyie’s experience comes at a time when Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely known as the anti-gay bill, has been reintroduced in Parliament.

The bill, originally passed in February 2024, criminalises same-sex relationships as well as advocacy, funding, or support for LGBTQ+ activities. It proposes prison sentences of up to three years for consensual same-sex acts, and between three and five years for individuals or organisations deemed to be promoting LGBTQ+ rights.

The bill lapsed following the dissolution of the previous Parliament. However, on October 28, 2025, Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin directed its formal reintroduction under the Ninth Parliament, reigniting national and international debate.

Supporters of the legislation — including political leaders, religious bodies, and traditional authorities — argue that it is necessary to protect Ghana’s moral values, cultural identity, children, and family systems. Critics, however, warn that the bill institutionalises discrimination, undermines constitutional freedoms, and could embolden mob violence.

From Persecution at Home to Asylum Abroad

Afriyie says the beating, threats of death, and destruction of his livelihood left him with no choice but to flee Ghana.

Now living abroad, he hopes his story will draw attention to the risks faced by sexual minorities in Ghana and encourage the international community to offer protection to those facing persecution.

Human rights advocates caution that cases like Afriyie’s could become more frequent if the proposed legislation is passed, deepening fear, stigma, and violence against people perceived to be LGBTQ+ in Ghana.