Sixty-nine LGBT suspects who were detained on August 27 during a gay wedding ceremony in Ekpan Community, Uvwie Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta, have been released on bond.
In Warri on Tuesday, the suspects’ attorney, Mr. Ochuko Ohimor, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they had been granted bail for N500,000 and two sureties apiece.
The sureties must reside within the Effurun jurisdiction of the Court, claims Ohimor.
The accused, who were previously arraigned on September 4 at the State High Court of Justice, Effurun, in Uvwie LGA, must sign an undertaking there, he stated.
“The suspects were granted bail at a cost of N500,000 and two sureties each. The sureties must reside within the Effurun jurisdiction,” Ohimor told NAN.
Police prosecutor, Vincent Orarumen, had opposed the bail condition but their lawyer argued otherwise, saying that the alleged crime was not a capital offence.
NAN recalls that the suspects were paraded before newsmen on Aug. 29 at the Ekpan Police Station at the instance of the Delta State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Wale Abass.
They were arrested by a crack team of police operatives attached to the Ekpan Division while conducting a gay wedding ceremony which they tagged, “all white party.”
The CP, while parading the suspects, vowed to prosecute them in line with Nigeria’s Anti-Gay Law, which, according to him, prohibits same-sex marriage in the country.
“I can guarantee that they will be charged to court. We are not taking it lightly. It is a clear case, though, they are still presumed innocent until proven otherwise by the competent court,” he said.
