Lusaka—On Friday 15 May, the High Court in Lusaka is expected to deliver judgment in an important case relating to the right to freedom of expression. The judgment will determine whether Paul Kasonkomona’s acquittal on the charge of soliticing for immoral purposes will stand or whether it will be referred back to the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for the defence to argue its case.
On 7 April 2013, Paul Kasonkomona, a human rights activist, was arrested outside MuviTV station after he appeared on a television programme where he expressed his opinion that the rights of sexual minorities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons (LGBT) and sex workers, should be recognised in order to effectively address the HIV epidemic. On 25 February 2014, Magistrate Lameck Ng’ambi held that the State failed to present a sufficient case for the defence to answer resulting in the acquittal of Kasonkomona. The State appealed this ruling to the High Court.
Kasonkomona is represented by Sunday Nkonde SC from SBN Legal Practitioners with assistance from SALC.
