A judge of the Karu Senior Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, Nafisatu Buba has sent upcoming Nollywood actor, Bestwood Chukwuemeka to three months imprisonment for pleading guilty to homosexuality offence.
The 28-year-old who was tried on Monday, September 17, 2012 at the court, confessed to have engaged in the act but claimed to have been under the influence of alcohol. He however begged that the court be merciful on him, ‘I am guilty of the charge against me. I was under the influence of alcohol and I want the court to temper justice with mercy’, he said. The presiding judge however, would not give in to such excuse as she slammed him with a three months jail term without an option of fine, adding that it will serve as a lesson to other youth ‘who hide under the influence of alcohol to commit crimes’.
Meanwhile, the actor when previously arraigned, had pleaded not guilty, saying, ‘I came back drunk from the night club and thought I was sleeping on the same bed with my girl-friend and I started romancing her’ which got him a bail in the sum of N200,000 and two sureties, but when he pleaded guilty on the second trial, he was summarily tried and sentenced.
It will be recalled that Nollywood comic act, John Okafor, otherwise known as Mr Ibuin a recent interview, mentioned homosexuality as a factor limiting the growth of the movie industry.
Homosexuality, according to the Same Sex Marriage prohibition bill passed in 2011, prescribes 14 years jail term for whoever enters into a same sex marriage contract and a 10 year jail term for whoever registers, operates a gay organisation or makes a public display of same sex amorous relationship.
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