By Denis Edema & Sam Opio Caleb
The Njeru Grade One Magistrate has further remanded the owner of Cloud-9 Massage and Chill Outs in Bukaya West, Njeru Municipality, Buikwe district, to Bugungu prison until September 20.
Ms Patricia Nantume alias Malaika, 26, faces three counts of homosexuality and one count of trafficking in persons, contrary to Section 2(1) (2) of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023.
While remanding her, His Worship Egesa Masaaka on Wednesday said the case is only triable by the High Court. The accused was appearing before the same Magistrate for the second time in two weeks.
The Anti-Homosexuality Act was signed into law by President Museveni in May 2023 and offenders face life imprisonment upon conviction and 20 years for permitting usage of their premises for homosexual activities.
Prosecution alleges that Ms Nantume and another, still at large, between April and August 2023, performed a sexual act with a person of the same sex at the aforementioned premises.
According to documents tendered before Court, Ms Nantume, during the same period, allowed her rented house at Cloud -9 Massage and Chill Outs to be used for the purposes of homosexuality.
It is further alleged, through Court documents, that Ms Nantume, also during the same period, transported and maintained one of her staff for purposes of sexual exploitation.
Subsequently, charges of promotion of homosexuality, contrary to section 11(1) (2) (a) of the Anti-Homosexuality Act (2023), and trafficking in persons, contrary to Section 3(1) (a) of the Trafficking in Persons Act (2009), were slapped against her.
Earlier, four people, including Ms Nantume, were arrested following a raid on her massage parlor that was alleged to be offering gay and lesbianism sex services.
However, three suspects were released on grounds that some were victims and were turned into state witnesses.
Their arrest followed a tip-off to the area defense secretary by a worker at the massage parlor, who was concerned by the alleged illegal activities at the facility, Ms Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa Region Police Spokesperson, said.
“A Police raid on the massage parlor uncovered a dildo, two packets of shisha flavor, bottles of oils used for either massage or as a lubricant for anal sex, two video cameras and a tripod (camera stand),” Ms Butoto said.
