JINJA, UGANDA: The Grade One Court Magistrate in Jinja City has remanded further the six suspected gay youths whose alleged video went viral on social media, on grounds that they will not be safe in public.
The accused, aged between 20 and 26 years, were arrested on March 17 and arraigned before Magistrate, Mr Yafesi Ochieng, who charged them with indecency and procuring gross indecency and remanded them at Kirinya Prison.
Their arrest followed a 17-second video that went viral last month on various social media platforms, showing four of the suspects engaging in a same-sex act, where three of them “served the role of being women”.
While appearing before Magistrate Ochieng on Monday afternoon, the six youths were denied bail with the court arguing that they will not be safe in the community, before further remanding them until May 10 “because their case is also of public interest”.
“It is our mandate as the court to protect the accused persons; releasing them to a biased society cannot guarantee their safety, so prison is their safe place,’’ the magistrate ruled.
The accused had sought bail on grounds that it is their constitutional right and that they are innocent until proven guilty. They presented 12 sureties who included their biological relatives.
Other grounds cited for denying the suspects’ bail were based on submissions by the Prosecution that they failed to furnish the court with relevant information about their place of residence.
State prosecution alleges that the suspects are part of a sexual network grooming young boys into acts of sodomy and recruiting male adults into gay practices.
It is further alleged that the suspects, who were arrested from Mpumudde Zone, Southern Division, Jinja City were recording pornographic and sex videos and streaming live sessions, which they submitted to donors for funding.
At the time of the suspects’ arrest, the Kiira Region Police Spokesperson, Mr James Mubi, said they were allegedly found with 192 sachets of lubricants, shirts and tags with LGBTQ logos, and a metallic banner of peace and comfort with the LGBTQ flag.
Source: DM
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