10.10.2024
22:05
The
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
(ZRP)
has
uncovered
a
1,000-member
gay
syndicate
in
Harare
operating
through
a
WhatsApp
group
called
“Private
Lounge”
to
facilitate
the
illegal
relationships,
reported The
Herald.
The
investigation
followed
the
arrest
of
a
25-year-old
man
and
a
teenager
in
Highfield
engaged
in
a
gay
relationship.
The
man
lives
in
New
Canaan,
and
works
at
a
local
supermarket,
while
the
teenager
is
a
Form
Four
student
from
Glen
Norah
B
Extension.
The
teenager
joined
the
WhatsApp
group
in
January
2024,
introduced
himself,
and
sought
a
partner.
After
connecting
with
the
man,
they
agreed
to
meet
at
Machipisa
Shopping
Centre,
and
the
teenager
later
visited
the
man’s
home.
The
teenager’s
father
found
love
messages
from
the
man
on
his
son’s
phone
and
blocked
the
contact.
On
October
7,
2024,
the
man
attempted
to
contact
the
teenager
via
his
mother’s
phone,
prompting
the
father
to
report
the
matter
to
the
police.
The
man
was
taken
into
police
custody,
while
the
boy
was
released
to
his
parents
as
investigations
continue.
ZRP
national
spokesperson
Commissioner
Paul
Nyathi
confirmed
the
arrests.
He
said:
We
confirm
that
we
have
picked
up
two
suspects
who
have
assisted
us
in
unearthing
a
gay
and
homosexual
group
with
more
than
1,000
participants
who
have
been
meeting
at
various
places
and
houses
in
Harare.
Investigations
are
still
in
progress.
In
Zimbabwe,
gay
relationships
are
illegal.
In
February
2024,
the
government
warned
organisations
that
were
enticing
youths
into
homosexuality
through
educational
scholarships,
labelling
these
LGBT
scholarships
as
unlawful
and
unChristian.
The
Office
of
the
President
and
Cabinet
recently
criticised
foreign
interests
for
trying
to
attract
Zimbabwean
students
to
what
it
described
as
“alien,
anti-life,
unAfrican,
and
unChristian
values.”
Post
published
in:
Featured