Woman who dared to call Robert Mugabe gay freed
Insulting the notoriously homophobic Zimbabwe president is a crime punishable by a jail sentence or hefty fine
A woman who dared to call Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe gay has finally been set free.
Lynette Karenyi, a former lawmaker, was thrown into custody for her jibe in December 2011.
Insulting the notoriously homophobic Mugabe is a criminal offence punishable by a jail sentence or a fine.
But on Tuesday (7 January), a magistrate allowed Karenyi to be freed after it was discovered the state prosecutor did not have the authority to charge the former legislator.
The State claimed Karenyi insulted Mugabe at a rally held in Nhedziwa, in Manicaland Provice, according to local media.
She allegedly said ‘Robert Mugabe President veZanu PF aiita zvehomosexuality naJonathan Moyo uyezve Canaan Banana aiita izvi.’
Lawyers translated this to mean: ‘Robert Mugabe, the Zanu PF President, was practising homosexuality with Jonathan Moyo – (a former Zimbabwe minister).
The prosecutors claimed Karenyi’s alleged statement was ‘abuse, indecent, obscene and meant to cause hatred, contempt or ridicule to Mugabe who known for his anti-homosexual views’.
In the past, Mugabe has promised to amend Zimbabwe laws so LGBT ‘offenders’ would ‘rot in jail’ for life.
Claiming ‘filthy gays destroy nations’, he has also threatened to cut gay people’s heads off, castrate them and compared them to ‘pigs and dogs’.
Lynette Karenyi, a former lawmaker, was thrown into custody for her jibe in December 2011.
Insulting the notoriously homophobic Mugabe is a criminal offence punishable by a jail sentence or a fine.
But on Tuesday (7 January), a magistrate allowed Karenyi to be freed after it was discovered the state prosecutor did not have the authority to charge the former legislator.
The State claimed Karenyi insulted Mugabe at a rally held in Nhedziwa, in Manicaland Provice, according to local media.
She allegedly said ‘Robert Mugabe President veZanu PF aiita zvehomosexuality naJonathan Moyo uyezve Canaan Banana aiita izvi.’
Lawyers translated this to mean: ‘Robert Mugabe, the Zanu PF President, was practising homosexuality with Jonathan Moyo – (a former Zimbabwe minister).
The prosecutors claimed Karenyi’s alleged statement was ‘abuse, indecent, obscene and meant to cause hatred, contempt or ridicule to Mugabe who known for his anti-homosexual views’.
In the past, Mugabe has promised to amend Zimbabwe laws so LGBT ‘offenders’ would ‘rot in jail’ for life.
Claiming ‘filthy gays destroy nations’, he has also threatened to cut gay people’s heads off, castrate them and compared them to ‘pigs and dogs’.
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