The Ondo State Police Command, on Thursday, arraigned a 23-year old cross-dresser and content creator, Taiwo Austine, before an Akure Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly engaging in homosexuality.
Austine was docked alongside two other defendants, Haris Abubakar, 25, and Matthew Ogwu, 32, on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and homosexuality.
Prosecutor, Inspector Abayomi Jejeniwa, told the court that the accused persons, along with others still at large, were arrested in Akure last month after investigations revealed that they allegedly engaged in homos3xual acts.
Jejeniwa further alleged that between April 15 and 17, the defendants were found to have engaged in acts described as unnatural for human beings.
The charge sheet partly reads: “That you, Haris Abubakar ‘m’, Austine Taiwo ‘m’, Ogwu Mathew ‘m’ and one other at large, between the 15th and 17th day of April, 2025, at Akure in the Akure Magisterial District, did conspire together to commit felony, to wit: homosexuality.
“That you, Haris Abubakar ‘m’ and Austine Taiwo ‘m’ and one other at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, were found to be gay, engaging in a homos3xual act which is unnatural for human beings.
“That you, Ogwu Mathew ‘m’, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did attempt to engage in a homosexual act which is unnatural for human beings.”
According to the prosecution, the offences contravene Sections 516, 214 and 215 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, Nigeria, 2006, and are punishable thereunder.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their plea, Jejeniwa requested a date for trial to enable him assemble two prosecution witnesses and prepare his case.
Defence counsel, A.W. Lawoye, urged the court to admit the defendants to bail on liberal terms, arguing that the charges remained mere allegations.
Magistrate B.A. Alphonso adjourned the matter till August 11 for bail consideration and ordered that the defendants be remanded in police custody pending the hearing.
