A Ugandan tourist who spent 24 days in a Zimbabwean prison for having a sex toy has been acquitted and is now set to be deported.
Tom Ssekamwa, 24, was detained on August 2 in Masvingo, a city 292km south of Harare, alongside Czech national Lucas Slavik. Their arrests occurred as part of a government crackdown on dissent ahead of a regional summit, which saw over 200 opposition figures and activists detained.
This week, Magistrate Isaac Chikura dropped the charges against Ssekamwa, including criminal nuisance and violating the Censorship Act, which were based on the discovery of a rubber sex toy in his luggage during a police search. The magistrate ruled that the toy did not pose a threat to public order or create a disturbance, and was not meant for public display.
Ssekamwa’s lawyer, Knowledge Mabvuure of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), reported that his client is now in immigration custody, awaiting deportation. However, the process is delayed because Ssekamwa’s phone, which he needs to access funds for his airline ticket, remains in police custody.
Lucas Slavik, Ssekamwa’s travel companion, faced accusations of inciting public unrest after filming a video claiming that Masvingo lacked water and electricity. Though additional charges against Slavik were dropped, he was acquitted and deported last week.
Many areas in Zimbabwe face prolonged power outages due to low water levels at Kariba Dam, the country’s primary source of hydropower.
Roseline Hanzi, another ZLHR representative, voiced concerns that these arrests might harm Zimbabwe’s reputation as a tourist destination. She highlighted that the incident could have been avoided and warned that it could lead to international legal disputes if other countries believe their citizens’ rights have been violated.
The crackdown preceding the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in Harare led to the arrest of over 200 opposition members and civil society figures, who were accused by the government of attempting to disrupt the event.
