Prime
Minister wins gays case
Ethics minister Simon Lokodo
Kampala
The High Court in Kampala yesterday threw out a case filed against the Ethics and Integrity minister, the Rev Father Simon Lokodo, by gay activists when he stormed into a conference hall and closed their meeting in Entebbe two years ago.
In his judgment yesterday, presiding judge Steven Musota said the minister acted in public interest to protect the morals values of the society since he had told court that the participants in the meeting were distributing homosexual literature intended to train and recruit others into the vice.
According to the recently passed Anti Homosexuality Act, it’s now an offence to distribute homosexual literature.
The minister had been sued by Ms Jacqueline Kasha Nabagesera, Ms Julian Pepe Onziema, Mr Frank Mugisha and Mr Geoffrey Ogwaro.
They, among others, accused the minister of infringing on their constitutional rights when he closed their ongoing two –week workshop.
“While the applicants (homosexual activists) enjoyed their rights they cited, they had an obligation in exercising them according to the law, which they didn’t,” ruled justice Musota
After the ruling, Rev Lokodo, who was also awarded costs, welcomed the ruling. “This is fantastic, marvelous. I want to thank the Judiciary, and particularly the judge, for having looked into the values that are more positive for the public,”
The ruling comes four months after President Museveni assented to the anti-homosexuality law. According to the Anti-homosexuality Act 2014, a person who purports to contract a marriage with another person of the same sex, commits the offence of homosexuality and shall be liable, on conviction, to imprisonment up to life.
