A Ugandan tourist who spent 24 days in a Zimbabwean prison for possessing a sex toy has been acquitted and is now set to be deported.
Tom Ssekamwa, 24, was taken into custody on August 2 in Masvingo, a city located 292km south of Harare, along with Czech national Lucas Slavik.
The arrests occurred amid a government clampdown on dissent ahead of a regional summit, during which over 200 opposition figures and activists were detained.
This week, magistrate Isaac Chikura dismissed the charges against Ssekamwa, which included criminal nuisance and violating the Censorship Act. The charges were based on the discovery of a rubber sex toy in Ssekamwa’s luggage during a police search.
The magistrate determined that Ssekamwa’s possession of the item did not threaten public order or create a disturbance, emphasizing that the toy was not intended for public exhibition.
Ssekamwa’s attorney, Knowledge Mabvuure of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), stated that his client is now in the hands of immigration authorities, awaiting expulsion. The process is currently delayed because Ssekamwa’s phone, which he needs to access funds for purchasing an airline ticket, remains in police custody.
Lucas Slavik, Ssekamwa’s travel companion, faced allegations of inciting public unrest after reportedly filming a video claiming that Masvingo lacked water and electricity. Although additional charges against Slavik were dropped, he was acquitted and deported last week.
Many regions in Zimbabwe endure extended power outages due to reduced water levels at Kariba Dam, the country’s main source of hydropower.
Roseline Hanzi, another representative from ZLHR, expressed concern that these arrests could harm Zimbabwe’s standing as a tourist destination. She noted that the incident could have been avoided and warned that it might lead to international legal disputes if countries feel their citizens’ rights have been infringed.
The crackdown in the lead-up to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in Harare resulted in the arrest of over 200 opposition members and civil society figures, whom the government accused of plotting to disrupt the event.