Nollywood actor goes to jail for having sex with another man

A 28-year old actor, Bestwood Chukwuemeka, was on Monday sentenced to
three-month imprisonment by a Karu Senior Magistrates' Court, Abuja,
for having sexual intercourse with another man through the anus.

The convict, who resides at Gidan Mangoro, had pleaded guilty to
having engaged in homosexual acts. "I am guilty of the charge against
me. I  was under the influence of alcohol and I want the court to
temper justice with mercy'', he said. The police prosecutor, Mohammed
Umar, had told the court that the convict committed the offence in
August when the complainant was sleeping in his bed. Homosexual acts,
the prosecutor said, was contrary to Section 284 of the Penal Code.
The prosecutor said since Mr. Chukwuemeka had pleaded guilty to the
crime he initially denied, the court should try him summarily. The
Senior Magistrate, Nafisatu Buba, sentenced him to three-month
imprisonment without an option of fine. "This would serve as warning
to other youths who hide under the influence of alcohol to commit
crimes,'' she said. When he was first arraigned in early September,
Mr. Chukwuemeka pleaded not guilty, saying, "I came back drunk from
the night club and thought I was sleeping on the same bed with my
girl-friend and I started romancing her." At that hearing, Mrs Buba,
had ruled that alcohol should not be seen as an excuse for committing
the offence, but then granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000
with two sureties in like sum, with one of the sureties being a civil
servant on Grade Level 09. However, when the case was heard Monday,
the actor suddenly pleaded guilty, and Mrs Buba summarily tried him,
sentencing him to three-month imprisonment. Homosexuality and
lesbianism are seriously frowned at in Nigeria. In November, the
Nigerian Senate passed a strict law banning same-sex marriage and
public display of affection by gays in Nigeria. The bill – Same Sex
Marriage (prohibition) bill 2011 – prescribes 14-year jail terms for
convicted gays in Nigeria. "Persons who entered into a same sex
marriage contract or civil union commits an offence and are each
liable on conviction to a term of 14 years imprisonment," the new law
said. It added, "Any person, who registers, operates or participates
in gay clubs, societies and organization, or directly or indirectly
makes public show of same-sex amorous relationships in Nigeria commits
an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a term of 10-year
imprisonment."

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