Evans Afriyie
Residents of Ampabame in the Ashanti Region were thrown into shock on the afternoon of Saturday, September 3, 2022, after police pursued two men accused of being in a same-sex relationship.
According to eyewitnesses, the two men had checked into the local Adehyeman Hotel, which drew curiosity from hotel staff. Shortly after, officers from the Ampabame District Police Command arrived at the hotel with the area assemblyman and a group of residents.
Eyewitnesses said both men attempted to flee. One was apprehended and later identified as Abdul Aziz Baki, a native of Aboabo in the Asokore Mampong Municipal District. News of the incident spread quickly through Ampabame, sparking anger among some youth who described the alleged act as an abomination.
Speaking to our correspondent, the CID at the Ampabame police Station said the man in custody had allegedly confessed and named his partner. Police said they were searching for the second man, identified as Evans Afriyie, a 20-year-old evangelist and youth pastor who was reportedly on an evangelism outreach with his father in the Mampong Municipality at the time.
Police said they tracked Afriyie to his hometown in Kwadaso, where residents expressed shock.
A community leader in Kwadaso told our regional correspondent that Afriyie’s family, who are deeply rooted in Christian faith and Ashanti tradition, may have reprimanded him. The family traces its religious background to Afriyie’s grandfather, a church pastor, and his father, who is head pastor of Kingdom Arena Chapel.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the community leader said:
“In this community, we do not want to tolerate any gay relationships because it is an abomination. We cannot allow these young people to come and destroy our moral values and culture. This should be seen as a warning to anyone who is doing this to know that we will catch them and deal with them.”
He said community leaders had no prior suspicion about Afriyie and that news of the incident triggered a strong community reaction. According to him, Afriyie has not returned to the community since escaping from the hotel.
Another resident, who identified himself as Kwaku Skido, said:
“As for us, the youth in this area, we are not part of this dirty man-and-man affair. Our elders and ancestors will curse this community if we allow this to happen. He is lucky we did not get him, or he would have seen something.”
Afriyie, who fled with only the clothes he was wearing, is believed to have gone into hiding outside the Ashanti Region. Some sources believe he may have left the country.
Before the incident, Afriyie was described as a respected youth leader and disciplined student from a prominent Christian family with deep ties in Ashanti traditional and religious circles.
Human rights advocates say cases like this are not isolated, noting that individuals accused of same-sex relationships in Ghana often face threats of mob violence, blackmail, and banishment, particularly as debate over anti-LGBTQ+ legislation intensifies.