An SA National Defence Force soldier accused of intentionally infecting his partner with HIV has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, reports News24.
The man appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court last Friday (4 March). According to the charge sheet, he regularly underwent compulsory medical examinations, which included tests for HIV. In 2016, he became romantically involved with another soldier who held the rank of corporal in the air force.
It’s alleged that he 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 her with HIV,” it read.
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. On various occasions, the accused had assured the complainant that he was HIV-negative.
The complainant also told the court that the accused refused to go for an HIV test with her and became angry if she would ask him about his HIV status. The trial resumes on 14 June.
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