Throwing people into jail for being gay will make them more dangerous – Lawyer

Private legal practitioner lawyer Kofi Bekai has emphasised the need for us to find ways to reform homosexuals instead of the sentencing regime adopted in the recently passed anti-gay bill.

The lawyer argued that throwing people into jail over their sexual orientation could make them more dangerous than they were before.

The argument was based on the prevalent presence of homosexual practices in prisons, arguing that jailing someone for such practices would worsen their situation.

Parliament, on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, unanimously voted to pass a controversial anti-LGBTQI+ bill.

The bill would impose a jail term not exceeding five years on those who take part in LGBTQ sexual acts, as well as those who promote the rights of gay, lesbian or other non-conventional sexual or gender identities.

But lawyer Bekai says the sentencing regime was not the best approach.

Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM, he supported the bill but opposed the sentencing regime.

Lawyer Bekai suggested community service and mandatory counselling for people who would fall foul of the law.

“There should be a way for us to reform such people. Sending them to jail is not a holistic solution to the problem.

After the community service, we can subject them to mandatory counselling. We have to also intensify education on the negative impact of homosexuality so people will know about it.

If you throw them into jail, they will go serve their sentence, but they will come back more dangerous than they were before,” he said.