Ho court grants bail to 21 'LGBTQ+ activists' after CDD-Ghana criticism

A Circuit Court in Ho in the Volta Region has granted bail to 21 persons picked up and prosecuted by the police for advancing activities of LGBTQ+ in Ghana, after denying them bail earlier.

They were first arraigned before the same court on Friday, 21 May 2021 but were remanded into police custody.

The suspects, 16 females and 5 males, were picked up by police for holding a conference to that sought to advance LGBTQ activities and charged unlawful assembly.

Volta Regional Police PRO, Sergeant Prince Dogbatse, said at the time of their arrests that the suspects had in their possession, materials on concepts encouraging homosexuals to boldly announce their sexuality and many other books on LGBTQ+.

“We also got the LGBT+ Muslim book that is among some of the materials that they are using, they also have gender acronyms coming out. A concept that is coming out aimed at encouraging persons involved in these behavior to come out publicly to mention or state the sexuality and all about transgender,” he said at the time.

The bail granted to the 21 suspects today, June 11, 2021, at the Ho Circuit Court presided over by His Lordship Justice Yaw Owoahene-Achempong, comes after the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) condemned the detention of the LGBTQ+ activists.

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CDD-Ghana, in a statement, said it was unlawful for the police to hold them in custody for over 19 days.

“The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) is appalled at how the Courts and the State have handled this matter by allowing these young Ghanaians to be incarcerated for 19 days and counting.

“First, it is clear that gathering to educate people at a hotel venue on LGBT+ issues is not a criminal act or crime under the Constitution or any statute. At the time of their arrest, the arrestees were not engaged in or found to have engaged in any unlawful act or in possession of any unlawful or prohibited items.

“Their arrest and subsequent mistreatment are, therefore, a clear violation of their constitutional right to freedom of assembly and association,” the statement said.

The court on Friday granted a bail sum of GHC5,000 for each applicant and one surety each. They are also expected to submit a valid ID to the court.

The substantive matter has been scheduled for a later date.

Gay sex is unlawful in Ghana and is punishable with up to three years imprisonment.

LGBTQ+ activities are highly frowned upon in Ghana.