Zambian police arrested two Lusaka men Aug. 8 on charges of engaging in consensual sex with another man, the Mwebantu New Media reported.

The article provided only a partial description of the incident. It did not state whether the men had been detained or released on bail. Also, without explanation, the article cited only one arrest for consensual sex between two men. The headline, however, referred to two arrests. The article states:

A Lusaka man of Barrastone Park has been arrested for sodomising another male of Chilenje South contrary to section 155 of the penal code of the laws of Zambia. Police acting spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said Harrison Jere, of unknown age and house number of Barrastone Park, was arrested for engaging consensual sodomy with Jackson Musonda, age not known, of Chilenje South. Mr Hamoonga said the incident happened on Thursday August 08 213 around 02:00 hours at house number 1094 in New Chilenje. Mr Hamoonga said police received a report from Mike Mudenda, 25, of house number 1094 in new Chilenje after he caught the two who were visiting him red-handed in the act. “The two were visiting Mr Mudenda who whilst sleeping with them in the same room became suspicious and when he turned the light on found the two in the very act. Police officers who visited the scene found four condoms containing liquid suspected to be semen,” he said.

Under Zambian law, homosexual activity is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Two other men are currently awaiting trial on similar charges in rural Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia.

In addition, Zambian AIDS activist Paul Kasonkomona is awaiting trial on charges of “soliciting for immoral purposes” for suggesting on local television that the law against homosexual activity should be repealed because it contributes to the spread of HIV by creating obstacles for health services for men who have sex with men.

For more information, read the full article in Mwebantu New Media, “Lusaka men caught having sex arrested.” Further news of these arrests will be reported here, if it is found. So far, no other account of the incident has been spotted in other Zambian publications online.

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