Two men, O’tega Daniel, 27, and Sulaimon Abari, 26, have been arraigned for abusing a male student, barely two months after new Nigerian law made homosexual activities a criminal offence.
The two men, both National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving at St. Louis Secondary School 2, Molete, Ibadan, were charged on Monday in an Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting at Iyaganku for engaging in homosexual practices with a student.
Abari, a graduate of the Lagos State University, Ojo, and O’tega were arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, procuring as well as getting hold of their victim.
The new law states: “Only a marriage contract between a man and a woman shall be recognised as valid in Nigeria.”
It provides for a 14 years imprisonment for, anyone who enters into a same-sex marriage or civil union while any such partnerships entered into abroad are deemed “void”.
The law also provides for a jail tern of 10 years for anyone who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations or who directly or indirectly makes a public show of a same-sex relationship.
The prosecutor, Insp Olufemi Eyiaromi, told the court that the two accused persons conspired to commit the offence, adding that Daniel procured and got hold of the male student, took him into a room, laid him on a bed as well as caressed and orally sucked his manhood until the minor released sperm.
He also alleged that Abari committed the same offence on the victim.
The offence was said to have been committed sometime in November 2013 at Osungbade, Odo-Oba area of Ibadan.
Eyiaromi said the offences contravened sections 217 and 516 (A) of the Criminal Code Cap.38, Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Chief Magistrate Kehinde Durosaro-Tijani granted each accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with one blood relation as surety.
She also directed that the surety must present three years tax clearance certificate while each accused person must present his original certificate as part of the bail condition.
The case was adjourned till Feb. 25.
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