Two transgender women facing charges of “attempted homosexuality” in Cameroon were denied bail on Wednesday after a judge adjourned their case and sent them back to jail, their lawyer said. Mildred Loic, a local social media celebrity, and Moute Rolland were arrested while eating in a restaurant when they were arrested for wearing women’s clothes and taken to prison two days later, said their lawyer, Richard Tamfu. Loic, who has built an online reputation as a cosmetician and has more than 100,000 followers on Facebook, and Rolland also face charges of public indecency and not carrying identification. They have pled not guilty. Homosexuality is illegal in most African countries and punishable by prison time in about half of them. In Cameroon, a guilty verdict can carry a sentence of up to five years.
SOURCE: REUTERS AFRICA