The Malawian gay couple given a presidential pardon at the weekend were forcibly separated and taken to their home villages after their release from prison.

News agency AFP reported yesterday that Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, and Steven Monjeza, 26, were taken to their homes on Saturday night.

Gift Trapence, director of the Centre for the Development of the People, which paid the couple's legal fees, said: "The prison authorities told them they had been given instruction from above that they should take them to their respective homes.

On Saturday, Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika announced the pardon after an international outcry over the men's 14-year sentence for being gay.

The announcement came after Mutharika met UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Saturday. Speaking in Parliament, Ban said: "We cannot "stay quiet when people are denied fundamental rights - whatever their race or faith, or age or gender, or sexual orientation".