The two suspects currently in police custody
Police at Kasoa New Market in the Central Region have today (October 14, 2021) arrested two young men suspected to be homosexuals, according to multiple news outlets including Adom TV and Metro News.
The two, whose names were given as Prince Nyator, 22 years and Evans Amoah, 23 years were picked up after the owner of a restaurant they worked at reported them to the police.
A Metro TV reporter in the Central Region confirmed that they were reported after a bloody disagreement ensued between them.
The disagreement left Nyator with knife wounds allegedly inflicted by a group contracted by Evans because Nyator had refused to continue their amorous relationship.
The report said it was Evans who managed to convince Nyator to join him in Kasoa from the Volta Region after securing him a job and accommodation. They met via social media.
The Metro TV reporter confirmed that the two had not suffered any attacks and remained in Police custody.
The development comes at a time the issue of same-sex rights is dominating the public discourse as Parliament readies to debate an anti-LGBTQ+ Bill initiated via a Private Members’ Bill.
The Bill, known as, the Promotion of Proper Sexual Rights and Protection of Ghanaian Values Bill 2021 has passed the first reading and subsequently referred to the relevant Committee.
Parliament has received memos arguing for and against the Bill and is expected to debate it when the house reconvenes later this month.
The eight MPs who sponsored the Bill are Sam Nartey George (MP, Ningo Prampram), Emmanuel Bedzrah (MP, Ho West) Della Adjoa Sowah (MP, Kpando), John Ntim Fordjour (MP, Assin South) – the sole NPP MP sponsoring the Bill.
The remaining sponsors are Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini (MP, Tamale North), Helen Adjoa Ntoso (MP, Krachi West), Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (MP, La Dadekotopon) and Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor (MP, South Dayi).
Ghana’s pro-gay collective
A group of 18 academicians and human rights defenders have voiced strong opposition to the bill before Parliament, which is seeking to extensively criminalize the activities of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, LGBTQ+.
The group submitted a memorandum to Parliament seeking that the bill be rejected because it was largely unconstitutional and infringed on basic human rights.
Members of Parliament behind the bill, led by Ningo Prampram MP Sam Nartey George, have rubbished the memorandum and asserted that the bill will be passed into law because it has the support of the wider Ghanaian populace.