Ugandan deportation for British gay activist

By PHILIPPA CROOME
Published on 12/02/2013 00:00

UGANDA plans to deport a British theatre producer who was charged last year with staging a play about homosexuality.

Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda. David Cecil, 35, was charged with disobeying a public official last September after ignoring orders to cancel a theatre production which included a gay leading character.

However, a court dropped the charges against him last month due to lack of evidence. Mr Cecil, who denied being a gay rights activist, would have faced two to four years in jail if convicted.

Godfrey Sasagah, Uganda’s director for immigration, said yesterday: “The process of removing him from the country is on.”

Florence Kebirungi, Mr Cecil’s partner, said he was arrested in Kampala on Wednesday and is being held in jail there.