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Inadequate space stalls arraignment Of 46 homosexuals in Lagos court

Court jails PTA chairman 198 years for forgery
Inadequate space stalls arraignment Of 46 homosexuals  in Lagos court

Inadequate space in the courtroom yesterday, forced Justice Rilwan Aikawa, of the Federal High Court, Lagos, to adjourn the arraignment of 46 persons alleged to have engaged in same-sex relations.
When the case was called, the defendants to take the plea, Justice Aikawa, observed that the courtroom was too small to accommodate all the defendants.


Aikawa, therefore, adjourned the planned arraignment till November 22, when a bigger courtroom would have been provided.
The 46 defendants are part of the 57 persons arrested at a hotel in Egbeda, on August 25, 2018, by the Lagos State Police Command.


The police had alleged that the suspects were arrested at about 2 am while they were performing gay initiation rites for newly recruited members.
The defendants had earlier been arraigned before Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, membership of a secret cult, and unlawful gathering, but they pleaded not guilty.


Following their not guilty plea, Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye admitted each defendant to bail in the sum of ₦200,000 with one surety in like sum.
But the police re-filed a one-count charge against the defendants at the High Court.


When the matter was called yesterday, defense counsel, Israel Usman, informed the court that 46 out of 57 of the defendants were in court ready for arraignment.
But Justice Aikawa observed that only 36 names were listed before him as defendants.


He said:

“I am going to record that most of the defendants are present in court because I only have 36 names before me. We cannot have 57 persons in this court. We have to look for a day we can use Court 2, so it can be convenient for all.”


The judge added that since the defendants were all on administrative bail, rescheduling the arraignment would not be unfair to them.
He advised prosecuting counsel Joseph Eboseremen, to serve all necessary documents on the defense to enable them to file all necessary applications on the adjourned date.


The court adjourned till November 22 for arraignment.
According to the new charge, marked FHC/1/311c, the defendants made “public show of a same-sex amorous relationship with each other in hidden places within Kelly Hotel” Egbeda.


The police said the defendant’s actions contravened Section 5(2) of the same-sex marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2013.

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