Parliament rejects Afenyo-Markin’s request for replacement of custodial sentences with community services for gay activities

Parliament has rejected a proposal from Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, which suggested replacing a minimum two-month imprisonment sentence with a minimum one-month community service for individuals found guilty of LGBT activities.

In an effort to pass the anti-LGBT bill at the third reading stage, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin saw a motion filed by Alexander Afenyo-Markin demanding a second consideration of the bill. This motion was subsequently approved by the house.

However, during the detailed amendment process of the bill, the House voted against the Deputy Majority Leader’s initial proposal.

The Speaker of Parliament on Thursday therefore said, “The Nos have it. The proposed amendment is negated.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Afenyo-Markin, in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, reiterated his opposition to custodial sentences for gay activities.

However, he said he was not against the principle of the anti-gay bill.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the country could not afford to enact a law that entrenched custodial sentences.

The Effutu MP noted that such a law was harsh for a homosexual act.

The Deputy Majority Leader underscored that “I support aspects of the bill, I oppose aspects of it. I am not against the principle, the object of the bill. In this day and age where the country’s judiciary thinking is towards a non-custodial sentence, we cannot enact a law that seeks to entrench custodial sentences. After all, it is about somebody’s sexuality, and we have to be very careful as a country not to be going into emotions when enacting a law.”

“First of all, from an empathetic point of view, if it is your son, if it is your daughter, if it is your niece, your nephew, an uncle, an auntie, would you say, ‘Go to jail because you have been found guilty of homosexuality’?”