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Remember Aids is still a death sentence

Editorial

Remember Aids is still a death sentence

AIDS still kills

This week, any person who knowingly, ‘willfully’ or ‘intentionally’ infects another with the HIV/Aids virus, and is found guilty, will inter-alia, be liable to a jail sentence of up to10 years.

This bill comes after recent research has shown increase in HIV infections across all age groups and especially among married couples.

Surprisingly, even before the bill has become law, and before it has been tried and tested, the women who are expected to be the biggest beneficiaries of the impending law, are up in arms to ‘kill’ it.

It is for this reason that we felt we should mention a few cases related to the subject for the benefit of those who might want to know how willful transmitters of the killer disease are dealt with elsewhere in the world:

In May 2009, a Texas man Philippe Padieu, 53 was sentenced to 45 years in prison for knowingly infecting several women with HIV. Padieu, who was described by the jury as a danger to society will be about 98 when his 45 year sentence comes to an end.

‘Philippe Padieu knowingly, intentionally and recklessly infected us with HIV,’ said Tricia Reeves, the only victim who testified using her real name. “We can only assume that by his indifference he intended us to die.” Another victim simply said, ‘I hope someday I’ll get a phone call saying you died in prison.’

In August 2013, a 36-year-old Zimbabwean man was sentenced to 120 years in prison in Texas, US for knowingly transmitting the HIV virus to four women in America.

‘Judge Rodney Satterwhite sentenced Derick Nhekairo to serve two consecutive 60-year sentences of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with the remaining two sentences of 60 years and 20 years to run concurrently with the 120 years’. Nhekairo was also ordered to pay $32,000 in fines for the four charges. Prosecutor Lara Nodolf said then that Nhekairo had admitted to practicing unprotected sex with 18 different women after contracting the virus in 2002.

In January 2014, Michael Johnson, a 22-year-old HIV-positive student was charged with having unprotected sex with five partners without telling them that he was HIV-positive. In the course of investigations, prosecutors discovered more than 30 videos of Johnson having unprotected sex. They found hidden cameras and examined Johnson’s computer. ‘On that laptop were 32 videos engaged in sexual acts with Johnson,’

Many of the videos were filmed inside his room on the campus of Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, where he was a former student. If convicted, Johnson is likely to spend life in prison.

And just last month, Mwakilishi.com an online newsletter reported of a 41 year old Kenyan man, identified as Kennedy Okwako A. who was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment in Germany for having sexual intercourse with various women without using a condom despite knowing he was infected with HIV.

And according to AP, in September 2013 in Dexter, Missouri, an HIV-positive man was charged with spreading HIV after claiming to have slept with 300 sexual partners. Missouri is among 37 states that make it a crime to knowingly transmit HIV to others, though its penalties are among the toughest: a maximum sentence of life in prison if the victim was infected with HIV and up to 15 years in prison if the victim was exposed.

Now, we for example know that there are many rich sick men who have been infecting innocent young girls in exchange for money and other goodies. Why should such killers not be put away in order to save others?     

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