A gay man was reportedly beaten and nearly killed by a gang in Malawi.

Kevin Gomani, who works at Crossroads Hotel in the capital Lilongwe, was attacked by a group of men late last night (8 February).

In photos posted on Facebook, Gomani is heavily bleeding from one eye. His entire face is covered with blood and he is clearly bruised.

Police were called to investigate, with human rights activist Billy Mayaya calling on the authorities to treat this as a homophobic hate crime.

Last year according to the Nyasa Times, Gomani was arrested for having gay sex.

The UN has told Malawi to facilitate access to medical and health care for LGBTI people.

‘Arresting them won’t address this problem because sooner or later they are being released on bail,’ Kenneth Msonda, a spokesperson for the former ruling People’s Party said. ‘The best way to deal with this problem is to KILL them.’

Two civil society organizations then lodged a criminal case against Msonda for inciting others to break the law. The case was dropped when the Director of Public Prosecution applied for the discontinuance of the trial.

Under the current law, those found guilty of homosexuality in Malawi can be sentenced to up to 14 years in prison.