A court in Malawi has ordered the police to resume arresting gay people in the southeast African country.

Hight court judge Dingiswayo Madise warned Monday (9 February) that any person who disobeyed the order would be guilty of contempt of court and could be imprisoned, fined or have their assets seized.

Madise also quashed a decision by the police to drop charges against two men who were arrested in December for gay sex, The Nyasa Times reported.

In 2012, former president Joyce Banda placed a moratorium on Malawi’s anti-gay law, which punishes gay sex by up to 14 years imprisonment, pending a judicial review.

The moratorium was reaffirmed by the justice minister in December.

However, three pastors successfully challenged the legality of the moratorium in the high court.

President Peter Mutharika has said he will let the people of Malawi decide whether to repeal the anti-gay law.