An imam – Muslim leader – from Uganda could be sentenced to life in prison for accidentally marrying another man.
Occurring in January this year, this story means that the African state, often considered by human rights organizations as one of the most homophobic in the world, is once again “caught red-handed” with the inhumane treatment of lesbians, bi, gays and trans people.
The sheikh Mohammed Mutumba, 27, married “Swabullah Nabukeera” – but without knowing that, in fact, his “bride” is a 19-year-old cisgender man called Richard Tumushabe, who pretended to be a woman to try to steal the sheikh’s fortune for himself.
According to local press, the plot was discovered when Tumushabe was caught stealing from the imam's neighbors and the police examined him – and discovered that he was using clothes as padding for his bra, as well as, of course, male genitals.
Mutumba had not realized that it was a man because his “fiancee” deceived him by saying that she could not have sex because she was “menstruating”.
Tumushabe was accused of fraud and theft, while the sheikh will go to court on charges of having had “carnal relations with a person against the order of nature”, although he argued, in his defense, that they did not have sexual relations.
Both were arrested, but are already awaiting trial outside of jail. Mutumba was removed from his religious activities.
