According to reports by LGBT Rights Ghana, the Ghana Police Force arrested 22 LGBTQ+ persons at a gathering over the weekend. The arrest was carried out, reports by African Equality Centre say, after Chief of Kwahu Obomeng, Eastern region of Ghana, and Elders alerted the police about a rumoured “lesbian wedding”, which attendees of the party say is a birthday party.
“We will burn them, we will burn all of them,” one of the men from the town who assisted the police with the arrest, says in the video recording of the arrest.
The members of the Ghana Police Force have said that they found no evidence of a lesbian marriage at the scene. “There was no marriage going on, or there was no blessing of a marriage ceremony between two ladies” – SGT Francis Gomado, PRO of the Eastern Regional Police Command said in an interview with Angel FM/TV earlier today.
During the broadcast shared online by African Equality Centre, Kwahu Obomeng Chief, Nana Effah Opinaman III, who alerted the police to the gathering, said that ‘LGBTQ+ is a “taboo” and they will perform rituals to cleanse the town, especially the house that hosted it.’ The Chief added that the owners of the property will also be summoned for questioning by the traditional leaders.
The arrested persons are now in police custody at the Mpraeso Police station, and the Eastern Regional Police Command PRO says that the initial charges will be related to disregard of COVID-19 protocols, social distancing and others. As investigations continue, however, they may add other charges if they gather more information.
