Ghana prisons form anti-sodomy police as gay suspects suffer beatings in cells

desmond frimpong

September 20, 2017 5:23 PM

Prisons in Ghana do not entertain sodomy as homosexuality it is illegal in the country.

The West African country Ghana has formed anti-sodomy police in its prison as gay inmates are unusually beaten by their angry colleagues.

According to a prison official at the Kumasi Central Prison in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, there is the need to prevent violence in various prisons in the country.

Officer-in-charge of the prison infirmary Superintendent Cephas Nuwordu explained to local media that inmates suspected to have gay relationships are beaten by other inmates until prison officer come to their rescue.

“There are some instances whereby some of the inmates try in vain to have anal sex in the prisons. In all those instances, the suspects are spotted on time by their angry colleagues who unleash mayhem on them,” he was quoted by local newspaper Daily Guide.

“They usually beat the suspects to the pulp and they are usually saved by the officers. Some of the beatings are very serious,” he said.

Ghana frowns on sodomy. This the officer says has made his outfit create a team of inmates as part of strategies to stop homosexual acts in prisons.

“We have formed the Cell Police, whose main duties are to ensure that acts such as sodomy and other illegal acts do not happen in the facility,” he said.

Section 104 of Ghana’s Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2003 says whoever has unnatural carnal knowledge with consent is guilty of misdemeanour; while without consent is guilty of a first-degree felony.

desmond frimpong