Tobias Sylvester
Two popular crossdressers have been sentenced to five years in prison for “attempted homosexuality” and other offences in Cameroon.
The convicts known as Shakiro, who also is identified as Loic Njeukam, and Patricia, also identified as Roland Mouthe, were arrested on February 8, because of the clothes they wore in a restaurant.
Their lawyers told Reuters that besides “attempted homosexuality,” they were convicted of public indecency and failing to carry identification
The two crossdressers received the maximum sentence of five years in prison and fines of 200,000 CFA francs ($370) on Tuesday, May 11.
“This is a political decision,” said one of the lawyers, Alice Nkom, who vowed to appeal the verdict. “It’s Yaounde (the central government) that said these people must not bring homosexuality to Cameroon.”
A human rights activists say their detention is part of the growing criminalization of sexual minorities and transgender people in Cameroon.
KanyiDaily had also reported how a popular Nigerian crossdresser, Bobrisky was arrested by the police over a N30 million deal between himself and a female client.
