 |
| A Gay |
Thousands
of protesters yesterday threw stones into a Shariah court in Bauchi, urging the
speedy convictions and executions of 11 men arrested for belonging to gay
organisations.
A
report by Associated Press (AP) said security officials fired into the air to
disperse the protesters so the accused men could be safely returned to the
prison. Judge El-Yakubu Aliyu closed the court abruptly.
"No
one can be sentenced to death until confirmed without a reasonable doubt,"
Aliyu said in response to calls for the men's execution.
The
court was arraigning seven of 11 accused men. Only three had given testimony
when the mayhem began.
The
defence counsel was unable to submit an application for bail and the rest
of the defendants were unable to give testimony. It was unclear when the
arraignments would resume.
The
same court last week convicted a young man of sodomy and had him publicly
whipped with 20 lashes, and fined before being freed.
The
court said it was lenient, sparing him the sentence of death by stoning, as he
had confessed to one instance of sodomy many years ago and had not committed
any homosexual acts since.
Though
he was tried under Islamic law, his was the first conviction of a gay man in
Nigeria since President Goodluck Jonathan signed a bill that further
criminalises homosexuality under the penal code. He was among 12 arrested in
Bauchi the past few weeks.
The Same-sex Marriage Prohibition Act that the president signed on January 7 has resulted in a frenzy of arrests of gays. The law bans all gay associations, with penalties up to 14 years' imprisonment for marriage.
The Same-sex Marriage Prohibition Act that the president signed on January 7 has resulted in a frenzy of arrests of gays. The law bans all gay associations, with penalties up to 14 years' imprisonment for marriage.
Bauchi
State has both a Western-style penal code and Shariah, or Islamic law, in which
sodomy can carry the death sentence with a judge deciding whether it should be
done by a public stoning or by lethal injection.
Shariah
law is implemented to different degrees in nine of Nigeria's 36 states.
Tags
Society
Things are yet 2 start,gudluck will let see that he is dealing with fools.that will kill innocent nigerians becos of one stupid law passed.this law shuld be handled with care oooooooo
ReplyDeleteAnon 7.27, did you read thru the story. Pls read before making comment. The sharia law was in lace before d bill was passed and signed.
ReplyDeleteAm not in support of gay and am not also in support of implimenting shariah law in some northern state in Nigeria. I thought we re one nigeria? I think its better we go our separate way's so, that the whole northern region should be a shariah country.
ReplyDeleteWhy wount dos useless aboki shoe shiners alow d law 2 take its course order dan trying 2 take laws into dia hands.
ReplyDeleteLet us focus on better things.pls provide amenities
ReplyDeleteLet dem be imprisoned cos d law hv stipulated 14 yrs imprisonment 4 dem.pls lets stp blood spill in nigeria..God does nt take glory in d death of sinners cos in d process of detentiom dey may turn 4rm dia evil ways
ReplyDelete