A Ugandan tourist in Zimbabwe, Tom Ssekamwa, 24, has been acquitted after spending 24 days in jail on charges related to the possession of a sex toy.
Ssekamwa was arrested on August 2 outside a lodge in Masvingo, alongside Czech tourist Lucas Slavik, during a government crackdown on dissent ahead of a regional summit.
The two were detained amidst a wave of arrests targeting over 200 opposition and civil society activists accused of planning to disrupt the event.
This week, magistrate Isaac Chikura cleared Ssekamwa of charges of criminal nuisance and violating the Censorship Act. The court ruled that his possession of the sex toy, which was found in his bag, did not pose a public threat or cause any nuisance.
Despite the acquittal, Ssekamwa remains in the custody of the immigration department, awaiting deportation. His lawyer, Knowledge Mabvuure from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), revealed that the delay in his deportation is due to the fact that Ssekamwa needs to purchase his own air ticket, and his phone, which he needs to access his funds, is still being held by the police.
The crackdown that led to Ssekamwa’s arrest was part of a broader government effort to stifle dissent ahead of the 44th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in Harare.
Slavik, Ssekamwa’s colleague, faced charges of publishing false statements with the intention to incite the public but was acquitted and deported last week.
The arrests have drawn criticism from human rights groups.
