Woman up for infecting husband with HIV

A 28-YEAR-OLD woman from Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly infecting her ex-husband with HIV and stealing his medical cards.

The woman who cannot be named for ethical reasons allegedly had unprotected sexual intercourse with her then husband in January last year knowing that she was HIV positive.

She allegedly went on to steal his medical cards on March 5 this year so he could not access medical treatment.

The woman was not asked to plead when she appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube yesterday facing two charges of deliberate transmission of HIV and theft.

Mr Ncube remanded her in custody to April 3.

However, the woman told the court that her ex-husband was aware of her status.

Prosecuting, Mrs Memory Ndlovu said sometime in January last year the complainant met the accused and the two fell in love.

"Sometime during the same month the two started to engage in unprotected sexual intercourse as husband and wife but the complainant did not know that the accused person was on HIV treatment," said Mr Ndlovu

"The husband then fell sick in November last year and his wife accompanied him to the clinic. The husband discovered upon interviews done by clinic staff that his wife was HIV positive and was coming regularly for treatment at that clinic. He was tested and results showed that he was HIV positive. The two continued to live together as husband and wife."

Mrs Ndlovu told the court that on March 5 this year the woman stole her husband's medical cards with the intention of depriving him of his health care and the cards have not been recovered.

The theft angered her husband who reported her to the police.