Man receives 20 lashes for being gay in Bauchi - BBC report

According to a report by the BBC, a 20
year old man in Bauchi received 20
lashes seven years after he stopped
being gay. For real? My head hurts
from reading all these. Find the report
below...
A Nigerian man has received 20
lashes after an Islamic court in the
northern city of Bauchi convicted him
of homosexual offences.
Under Islamic law, courts can punish
homosexual acts by stoning to death.
But the judge said he took into
account that the Muslim man,
Mubarak Ibrahim, 20, carried out the
acts seven years ago, and had
stopped the practice.
In Nigeria, homosexual acts are illegal
under both Islamic and secular law and
restrictions have been tightened.
Earlier this month, President Goodluck
Jonathan signed into law a bill which
bans same-sex marriages, gay groups
and shows of same-sex public affection.
The new legislation applies throughout
Nigeria.
Most states in the predominantly
Muslim north of Nigeria have adopted
Islamic law, known as Sharia, since the
end of military rule in 1999.
Along with Mr Ibrahim, 11 other
Muslims and a Christian man were
arrested last month accused by the
authorities of being homosexuals.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of
about $30 (£18).
Mr Ibrahim told the BBC he was relieved
that Judge Nuhu Muhammad had been
lenient on him and had not sentenced
him to death.
The BBC's Ishaq Khalid was in court
when Mr Ibrahim was lashed with a
whip, made of animal skin smeared
with oil.
Mr Ibrahim, who had pleaded guilty to
the charge, was ordered to lie on a
bench, and an official whipped his back
in front of a packed courtroom, our
correspondent says.
Mr Ibrahim screamed in pain while
being lashed, but was able to walk
afterwards, he adds.
The trial of two other men was
adjourned to 23 January.
The fate of the nine other men arrested
on the same charge is unclear but on
Wednesday the Sharia Commission in
Bauchi said the Christian would be tried
by a "conventional court", not an
Islamic court.