University of Ghana denounces assault on 'gay stranger' on campus 

The University of Ghana has denounced the assault and denigration perpetrated by persons seen in videos posted on social media and strongly condemned the acts of lawlessness.

A statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate of the University and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the Management of the University had learned with concern that a young man was assaulted around the southern part of the University's Legon campus, which was videoed and widely shared on social media.

It said preliminary information from the University's Security Services Unit indicated that a young man dressed like a female was seen in the Okponglo area, seeking accommodation.

The statement said perceiving him to be a woman, some women in the area accommodated him.

The statement said at night, the women realised that the stranger was a man and physically assaulted him.

It said a refuse collector, who thought the young man was a woman, intervened and took him to a refuse collection site behind Dr. Hilla Limann Hall on the University of Ghana campus.

Realising the true gender of the young man the following morning, the refuse collector also assaulted the stranger and instructed him to leave the area before the University of Ghana Security Personnel were alerted by students to intervene, the statement said.

“The University Security Services Unit handed both the young man and the refuse collector (neither of whom is a student at the University) over to the Legon Police for investigation,” it said.

“The University of Ghana would like to affirm its commitment to the safety, dignity and inclusivity of all persons, as stated in its statutes as follows:

“Without prejudice to the application of the national laws by the University, no member of the University shall:

“Engage in a course of vexatious conduct that is directed at one or more specific individuals, based on the race, ancestry, place of birth, origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, creed, age, marital status, family status, disability, receipt of public assistance or record of offences of that individual or those individuals.”

The statement said: “Management, therefore, takes its commitment to the enforcement of the rules and regulations governing the University seriously, and any member of the University community identified to be involved in this cruel incident will be appropriately sanctioned.”

It assured the public that the University would continue to work with the Ghana Police Service for a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure the safety of all members of the University community as well as visitors to its campuses.

GNA