22 persons including six men have been arrested at Kwahu-Obomeng in the Eastern Region for allegedly holding a marriage ceremony between two females at a popular LGBTQI+ joint in the community.

A local journalist in the area, Okwahuhemaa Piesie Afia Pokua who spoke with GhanaWeb’s Michael Oberteye said she had information from a source within the Kwahu-Obomeng palace around 10pm Saturday night that some persons purportedly belonging to the LGBTQI+ group were holding a ‘marriage ceremony’ for two ladies at the popular location in the community.

Reports indicated that the venue was well decorated with a huge wedding cake on standby to be cut after the event.

Narrating the incident, she said a pastor who couldn’t immediately be identified as a member of the group or otherwise officiated the same-sex marriage before other members of the group in the inner quarters of the house.

They then proceeded to the premises of the house for the party.

According to the journalist, the group present for the same-sex marriage numbered about 50. Also, another ceremony was expected to take place at 12:00 midnight.

“I had information that some people suspected to be gays and lesbians were having a party and named the party, ‘birthday party’ and they had planned to have a marriage ceremony, meaning two ladies were going to get married,” Okwahuhemaa Piesie Afia Pokua said.

She said announcements from the master of ceremony during the event pointed to a planned union between two people, damning the consequences.

“During the event, I heard the MC saying “today, we have a vow to make, we’re here purposely for something whether police come or not, we go do our thing,” narrated Okwahuhemaa.

“At about 11:45pm, the MC said, “Oh, it’s now time for the birthday girls to come out,” she said adding that the couple soon emerged from inside the house into the open for the cutting of the bridal cake.”

“When they came out, I saw a woman with what looked like a lace made into a wedding gown with a veil, bridal fan and bridal purse, the one acting like a man was also costumed in a Nigerian outfit. They came out of the room as a couple,” she narrated further.

However, police moved in to disrupt the activity with the arrests of over 20 persons who were subsequently sent to the Mpraeso police for interrogations.
“Around 12am, the police came around and got them arrested, some of them ran away,” said Okwahuhemaa Piesie Afia Pokua.

The suspects were said to have denied holding a marriage ceremony for the two ladies, adding that the event was a birthday party and not a LGBTQI+ event as being claimed by the police.

The police at this point reportedly asked them to produce their marriage certificates verifying that indeed they were celebrating their birthday.

The bride in the arranged marriage was said to have acquired the facility used for the event for various LGBTQI+ and prostitution activities.

The landlord of the residential facility used for the alleged illegal activities, according to reports has been summoned by Nana Effah Opinaman II, Chief of Kwahu-Obomeng and his elders to appear before them on Thursday at the palace to answer why he rented the facility to the group.