Africa-Press – South-Africa. The South African Defence Force soldier accused of intentionally infecting his partner with HIV has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.
The accused, 45, appeared in Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where the trial got under way following his not guilty plea.
News24 previously reported that the accused, a staff sergeant stationed at the SANDF’s Special Forces Unit in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, tested positive for HIV in October 2007.
According to the charge sheet, the accused regularly underwent compulsory medical examinations, which included tests for HIV, as a member of the SANDF.
“The accused was immediately, after the outcome of the aforesaid testing, informed by the SANDF medical staff that he was HIV positive,” the charge sheet stated.
In 2016, he became romantically involved with another soldier who held the rank of corporal in the air force.
Soldier who allegedly infected his partner with HIV to go on trial for attempted murder
It’s alleged that the accused had consensual and unprotected sex with her on several occasions between December 2016 and April 2017, but never revealed his HIV status to her.
She tested negative for HIV in August 2016 and did not have sex with anyone from the time she received her negative status report until she became involved with the accused, the charge sheet stated.
“The accused very well knew, at all relevant times, that the HIV disease he carried could be sexually transmitted to the complainant if he had unprotected sexual intercourse with her, and that by doing so, he could infect the complainant with HIV.”
Trial
The victim in the case was the first person to testify, according to AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, which had a watching brief on the case.
She testified that she had tested negative for HIV just before becoming romantically involved with the accused.
“She testified that he would remove the condom during sexual intercourse, despite the fact that they, on those occasions, agreed that they would only have intercourse if he wore a condom and he also on various occasions assured her that he was HIV-negative,” AfriForum’s Natasha Venter said.
The complainant also told the court that the accused allegedly refused to go for an HIV test with her and became angry if she would ask him about his HIV status.
The trial is expected to resume on 14 June.
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