"They would put drugs in your food. Once you were tired they would drag you to their beds". Since the law banning homosexuality was passed in 1972, this is the fate suffered by many homosexuals in prison in Cameroon at the hands of fellow inmates. "One of them is only sixteen and they violate him too". Unfortunately, many Cameroonians seem to believe it is the punishment they deserve, "We really should hang them, what they do is witchcraft".

Inherent to the problem is the marriage of sexuality and control in Cameroon: "In Cameroon sexuality is based on power; the relationship between dominant and dominated," a Cameroonian sociologist tells us. Even before 'The List', power and homosexuality had been linked by the rumours surrounding the first president. It was alleged he was given power because of an illicit gay relationship with his colonial predecessor. "What made the rumour very persistent was that accessing power has always been very secret." And so conspiracy theories abound. As Alice, a Cameroonian lawyer who defends homosexuals, points out, many of her clients, "did it to get promoted socially. They think they have to get fucked to succeed."

Unfortunately the implications against those high up has worsened the plight of all the country's homosexuals. Against this backdrop Alice has taken up the fight by defending homosexuals in court. Yet at every turn she faces a society that seeks to block her every move, especially those in positions of authority, like the public prosecutor. "I do not see how I could sign this paper for you," he says when Alice presents a permit to visit her clients in jail. "This guy is a first class homophobe", she confides to us after another unsuccessful attempt to get through.

Progress on repealing the law is slow and homosexuals in Cameroon must continue to find a way to survive. But as Serge points out this isn't easy: "When your family learns about your homosexuality, the first thing they do is stop giving you money". Serge knows if he hadn't come out as gay his life would have been much easier; he has had to give up his studies and relations with his family are difficult. He will never be able to live the life he wants in his home country.

Alice's efforts to free those accused of homosexuality finally bore fruit in 2006. Two were found not guilty, while the other seven who were convicted were let out because they had served their time. This was supposed to be just the beginning. From there she attacked the law, complaining that it contradicted the constitution of 1996. But then the economic crisis hit and violence broke out.

Now the appeal procedure is still held up in the court of Yaounde, so to this day homosexuality remains a crime. In reaction Alice is making her efforts subtler and has begun a campaign to change attitudes within families with homosexual children. But until the law is overturned homosexuals remain imprisoned in their own society. "Freedom in Cameroon? There's no such thing."