Woman tells of HIV bombshell

Woman tells of HIV bombshell

A Toronto woman is alleging an Edmonton man whom she met on an Internet dating website had sex with her against her will and then told her he was HIV-positive।

Testifying Monday at the aggravated sexual assault trial of Patient Simpenzwe, 44, in Edmonton’s Court of Queen’s Bench, the 39-year-old woman said she came to Edmonton to meet him after he told her in e-mails and phone calls that he wanted a long-term relationship.

She told jurors she went to Simpenzwe’s home after he flew her out in February 2008 and said he quickly tried to get her to have sex with him that night.

However, she testified she told him she wanted them to go to a clinic first to make sure they were disease-free and said he “just smiled and said OK.”

The next evening, she said he fell asleep while they were watching a movie and she decided to have a bath. Then, while naked and checking the water temperature, she said he came behind her and sexually assaulted her.

The woman told the jury she struggled and he grabbed her and carried her into his bedroom where he had unprotected sex with her against her will.

Afterwards, she testified he told her that he was HIV positive and had been infected by his wife. She said she pushed him off, got up and dressed and called police.

Court then heard a recording of a 911 call in which the woman is sobbing and asking for help. Simpenzwe then gets on the line and tells police he had used a condom.

Under cross examination, the woman denied suggestions that she and Simpenzwe had consensual sex and that he had informed her of his HIV-positive status.

“Never, never, never,” she said, looking like she was close to tears.

She also denied suggestions that Simpenzwe had worn a condom during the sex.

Jurors were told they will hear medical evidence during the five-day-long trial about how the AIDS virus is transmitted, as well as evidence regarding conflicting statements made by Simpenzwe to police.