A Vietnamese man was arrested last week in Karuzi in northern Burundi for gay sex.

If found guilty he will be the first person convicted of the crime in the African country.

Burundi adopted a new penal code in 2009 that punishes ‘sexual relations with a person of the same sex’ with three months to two years in jail and a fine of 50,000 ($32) to 100,000 Burundian francs ($65).

Richard Nzokirantevye, governor of Karuzi, told AFP, ‘This Vietnamese man was arrested the day before yesterday [16 September] for homosexual acts’ after he was caught with a Burundian partner.

He continued, ‘According to the police inquiry… it wasn’t the first time they slept together… but his Burundian partner fled and the police are still looking for him.’

The Vietnamese man is an employee of telecommunications company Viettel, owned by the Vietnamese army, which was granted a mobile license in February.

He was caught on a hill where he installed an antenna.

Nzokirantevye said, ‘The attorney-general has decided to accelerate the process and therefore this case should go before Karuzi Court of First Instance by tomorrow [18 September].’

The Burundian constitution bans gay marriage.

Gay sex is illegal in 38 out of 54 African countries.