The Pretoria Magistrates' Court sentenced a former SANDF employee, Leon Santos Conga (48) to life imprisonment for rape of his girlfriend at the tirne. He was given an additional 10- year direct imprisonment for attempted murder for knowingly exposing and factually infecting his girlfriend with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The court ordered that the sentence should run concurrently. Conga and the victim were in a love relationship for four months, from 16 December 2016 until April 2017. Before the two began their relationship, the victim had done an HIV test 80 01 December 2016 which came back HIV negative. When the two started their relationship, the victim raised the HIV conversation and insisted on knowing Conga's HIV status. Conga then lied and misled the victim and told her that he was HIV negative hence his employer was able to deploy hi outside the country. However, the victim came with the condition in their relationship that "no condorn no sex". One time when the two were intimate, Conga removed the condom. This apparently happened twice until the victirn felt unwell and went to do an HIV test. When the results carne back positive, she confronted Conga who denied infecting her. She then reported the matter to the police in May 2017, however the docket was only opened on 09 July 2017. In 2018 after several postponements in court, the matter was withdrawn due to insufficient evidence. However, after investigations and the required evidence was obtained from the SANDF the matter was re-enrolled 80 21 August 2021 and Conga appeared in court. During the trial, Conga stated that 160 0004000 was removed by the complainant and denied infecting the victirn with HIV. However, the state prosecutor, Advocate Emile Van der Merwe called a witness, Professor Terresa Russouw, an HIV expert who testified about the effects of HIV and assisted the state in proving the attempted murder charge. The state also provided evidence which revealed that Conga first tested HIV positive 80 00 October 2007, therefore he was aware of his HIV status when he removed the condom and had intercourse with the victirn. During the sentencing proceedings, in aggravation of sentence, Advocate Van der Merwe argued that Conga was known to the victim as he served in the military with her brother. She trusted him but he betrayed that trust. Furthermore, Van der Merwe said rape is not only a serious violent crime, but it is extremely prevalent therefore, the courts and prosecutions owe it to the community to deal with such matters with the seriousness and devotion it requires. He asked the court to irnpose a sentence of life irnprisonment. Advocate Van der Merwe also handed in a Victim Impact 04te00ent (VIS) and called the victim to testify in aggravation, where the victim told the court that the 0000 (0(0 her with an emotional scar and a permanent trademark which is HIV. Taking antiretroviral treatment (ARV) every night is a constant reminder of the scar he permanently gave her. As such she has anxiety Issue by NPA Germiston News