Lagos arraigns hotel owner, workers for aiding homosexuality

The Lagos State Government on Friday arraigned the owner of Vintage Hotel in Owode Onirin area of Ikorodu, Chief Patrick Okeze, before a Yaba Magistrates ’ Court for allegedly aiding and promoting homosexuality and running a gay club in his hotel.

Okeze was arraigned along with two of his workers , Sunday Isang and Bright Oba , for allegedly encouraging the illegal act to be perpetrated by young men and minors in the hotel, contrary to the provisions of Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition ) Act of 2014
The state government had on Thursday arraigned 28 adults and 12 minors before Yaba and Ebute - Metta Magistrates’ Courts respectively, for engaging in homosexuality , using the said hotel , a statement by the Assistant Director , Public Affairs , Lagos State Ministry of Justice , Kayode Oyekanmi , said on Friday
Specifically, Okeze and his workers were said to have aided 40 people and others still at large , to engage in homosexuality and have a gay party at the hotel .

After the one count against Okeze (56 ), Isang (30 ) and Oba (28 ) was called and read before Chief Magistrate Adewale Ojo , the defendants were not allowed to take their plea because the court lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter .

The prosecution team , which included Adetutu Oshinusi , Bosun Aroyehun , Folabi Sholebo, Olaitan Shoetan and Nnena Okereka, all from the state’ s Directorate of Public Prosecution , urged the court to remand the defendants in prison pending the outcome of the legal advice of the DPP .

But the defence team , led by Mr . Alli Abba , urged the court to discountenance the application of the prosecution and admit the defendants to bail , as the offence under which they were charged , was bailable .

In his ruling , Ojo held that in view of the provisions of Section 264 (1 ) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, he found merit in the application for the defendants to be remanded pending the DPP ’s advice .

The court said having examined the affidavit in support of the application for remand, it found “sufficient merit ” in it, and ruled that : “It is hereby ordered that the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd defendants be remanded in prison custody pending their legal advice. ”

The Magistrate also adjourned the matter to September 4 , 2017 .

Source: The Punch