After earlier failed attempts to secure bail, a Ho High Court has granted bail to the 21 persons suspected to be members of the Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex+ (LGBTQI+) society.
They were granted bail on Friday, June 11, 2021 by the court presided over by His Lordship Justice Yaw Owoahene-Acheampong.
The suspects, who include 16 females and five males, were arrested at Godopkui near Ho on Thursday, May 20, 2021.
They are alleged to have met there for a workshop on LGBTQI promotion and facilitation.
They had come from all over the country (Greater Accra, Ashanti, Upper West, Upper East, Western, Eastern, Northern and Volta regions) for the workshop and activities which the police believed may be unlawful.
Some of the materials recovered during the arrest which the police suspect are crucial in the promotion of LGBTQI+ activities in the country include books such as ‘Hate Crime’, ‘The LGBTQ+ Muslim’, ‘Gender Acronyms’, ‘Coming Out’ (as LGBBTQ+), ‘My Child; My Love Always’, ‘All About Trans And All About lntersex’.
Flyers and banners of two organisations suspected to be the sponsors and facilitators; thus Key Watch and One Love Sisters Ghana, were also discovered.
According to the police, the materials retrieved from the suspects points to encouraging members of the public to be confident in their sexual and gender orientation and go public with their status. Others also allegedly promoted and provided support for LGBTQI+ persons in the Muslim Community.
They were charged with unlawful assembly and first arraigned before the Ho Circuit Court on Friday, 21 May.
Attempts to apply for bail failed and their lawyers proceeded to the high court to file a bail application.
The high court, however, upheld the bail application. The accused are to pay GH¢5,000 each and present a surety each. They are expected to submit a valid ID to the court as well.
The substantive case would, however, be heard by the circuit court on a later date.
The docket on the case has been submitted to the office of the Attorney General for advice.
The state was represented by Lawyer Moses Asampoa, Senior State Attorney, and Lawyer Andrews Dodzi Adugu, State Attorney.
From Fred Duodu, Ho