Ghanaian Snapchat influencer Yankey Himself wanted by police over leaked gay sex tape
Yankey Himself was shown in the video having gay sex, which is illegal in Ghana. (YouTube and Twitter)
Yankey Himself, a Snapchat fashion influencer in Ghana, is wanted by police after his gay sex tape leaked, putting him at risk of imprisonment.
Yankey Himself, whose real name is Bernard Fiifi Yankey, has been identified in a gay sex tape, where he is seen making out with another man and having anal sex.
According to Modern Ghana, the video surfaced on social media on Friday (28 May) and quickly went viral.
In another video circulating on social media, a friend advised Yankey Himself to flee Accra, the country’s capital, as he is wanted by police.
The Snapchat influencer has reportedly gone into hiding, and has deactivated all of his social media accounts.
In Ghana, gay sex is classed as “unnatural” under the same law as rape and bestiality. As a misdemeanour offence, it is punishable by up to three years in prison.
During the first few months of 2021, the LGBT+ community in Ghana has faced increasing hostility from the state.
In February, the group LGBT+ Rights Ghana was subjected to an unlawful police raid at its office – supported by the building’s landlord as well as national security agents – forced the group to flee “and go into hiding for their safety”.
“Believers Against LGBTI+”, a group of 30 MPs, revealed in March that they would be pushing forward a new bill to ban any kind of LGBT+ “advocacy”.
There have also been multiple raids on LGBT+ gatherings in the country in recent months.
In April, 22 people were arrested as when police raiding a home in Obomeng, Kwahu South – all because authorities suspected a “lesbian wedding” was taking place there, and last month 21 people were arrested for meeting at a hotel to discuss LGBT+ rights.
Local LGBT+ rights group Rightify Ghana said the meeting was a training event, teaching queer people to document and report human rights violations being experienced by LGBT+ Ghanaians.
