The Malawi High Court, sitting as a constitutional court, has rejected an application by a white Dutch citizen Jan Willem Akster, who sought to have Malawi’s laws criminalizing homosexuality abolished.
Akster’s plea would have legalised homosexuality.
Along with Jana Gonani, the Dutch is facing criminal charges for engaging in homosexual acts, which are illegal in Malawi. The duo filed for a constitutional review pending the hearing of their case under a magistrate court.
The duo faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted, following the precedent set by Chief Resident Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwa-Usiwa, who sentenced Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Aubrey Steve Monjeza in 2010.
The ruling means the request to legalize homosexuality has been rejected, and homosexuality therefore remains illegal in Malawi.
More details to follow on this breaking news
