Lynch Mob Kills Gay Couple for Having Sex
A lynch mob in Cameroon’s capital city of Yaoundé set upon a gay couple for having sex inside a car that was visible to the public and killed the two men.On September 22, shortly before nightfall, two men, each about 40, went to have a drink at a local snack bar in Yaoundé’s Ekounou neighborhood.
They retired to a car belonging to one of them that was parked near the road and began engaging in sex.Initially, passersby believed that the two men were discussing a matter in private.
But soon witnesses saw the vehicle shaking, prompting them to come closer to get a better look at what was occurring inside the car.A mob soon surrounded the car, pulled out the two men, and threatened to kill them.
The crowd became so rowdy and violent that police were forced to intervene. They temporarily detained the two men before releasing them.While it is not confirmed, the human rights website Erasing 76 Crimes speculated that the men may have paid police a bribe, which is one way that people can avoid facing charges.Although Cameroon’s first Penal Code, enacted in 1965, did not criminalize homosexuality, the law was amended in 1972, imposing a five-year sentence, plus fines, for anyone found guilty of engaging in same-sex relations.After the pair were released, the two men were spotted by members of the mob near the snack bar once again.
