Rape suspect tested positive to HIV — Witness
By Agency reporter
Published: Wednesday, 18 Jun 2008
A prosecution witness on Tuesday told the Yaba Chief Magistrate‘s Court in Lagos that a man accused of raping an eight-year old girl tested positive to HIV.

Miss Ngozi Nwankwo gave the evidence at the trial of two co-tenants, Charles Opurum, 42 and Monday Omokaro, 30, before Magistrate Christiana Adesola-Ikpatt.

The accused were charged with raping the minor in September 2007 at Agunbiade Street, Sari-Iganmu Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria also reported that the minor was residing at the same building with the accused.

Led in evidence by the prosecutor, Mr. Okoronkwo Okorie, the witness testified that the investigating police officer persuaded Opurum to go for the HIV test in a government-owned hospital.

Nwankwo said that the result of the test had been submitted to the court as an exhibit.

The witness, who said she had been living with the minor‘s family for a while, said the victim, after being sick for some time, told her that the accused had been having sex with her.

She said that Omokaro ran away when asked to go for HIV test.

The witness said that the minor told her that Omokaro often took her to the bathroom where he allegedly defiled her.

She testified that the accused had told the minor that, if she told anybody of the sex abuse, she would die.

The prosecution witness could not be cross examined by the defence, as Opurum did not have a lawyer, while Omokaro‘s lawyer, Mr. R. R. Alekwue, said he had no questions.

Magistrate Ikpatt ordered that Omokaro should undergo HIV screening in a government-owned hospital and that the result of the test should be submitted to the court.

The case was adjourned till July 16.

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