A former South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier, Leon Santos Conga, has been sentenced to life in prison for knowingly infecting his girlfriend with HIV.
The Pretoria Magistrates Court handed down the sentence on Wednesday, also giving Conga an additional 10 years for attempted murder. Both sentences will run concurrently.
Former SANDF Member Jailed For Deliberately Infecting His Girlfriend With HIV
Conga, 48, was in a relationship with the victim, Antoinette Ndishishi, from December 2016 to April 2017. During their relationship, he lied about his HIV status, claiming he was negative.
Antoinette had tested negative for HIV before their relationship began, and she raised concerns, asking Conga to confirm his status. However, he assured her he was HIV-negative, even claiming his deployment overseas was proof.
The court heard that Conga removed his condom during intercourse without Antoinette’s knowledge, resulting in her infection. Ndishishi later became ill and tested positive for HIV.
She reported the case to the police, but initially, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) could not pursue charges due to a lack of evidence, as the SANDF refused to release Conga’s medical records.
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The Conviction And Life Imprisonment Sentence
Former SANDF Soldier Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Deliberately Infecting Girlfriend With HIV [Image: X]
Afriforum’s Private Prosecution Unit (PPU) intervened and obtained Conga’s records, proving he had known about his HIV-positive status since 2007. The PPU’s efforts led to Conga’s conviction after an eight-year legal battle.
Magistrate Fikiswa Ntlati convicted Conga of rape and attempted murder, as Antoinette had only consented to sex believing he was HIV-negative. During sentencing, the court heard from Professor Terresa Russouw, an HIV expert, who testified about the severity of Conga’s actions.
Antoinette told the court how the betrayal left her emotionally scarred and forced her to live with the permanent reality of HIV. She now takes antiretroviral medication daily and fears infecting future partners or her potential children.
Magistrate Ntlati condemned Conga for showing no remorse and stated his actions had devastating effects on Antoinette’s life and her family. The court considered the crime extremely serious, as it betrayed trust and had lifelong consequences.