In August 2026, a 47-year-old man appeared at Pretoria Magistrates Court facing charges of attempted murder after allegedly intentionally infecting his former girlfriend with HIV during an eight-month relationship.
The court heard details regarding the deceptive and coercive behaviour carried out by the accused against his 38-year-old partner between October 2025 and June 2026 in Pretoria, South Africa. Throughout their relationship, the state alleges the man repeatedly lied about his status, falsely claiming to be HIV negative. The deception collapsed when the victim searched his bag and uncovered hidden antiretroviral (ARV) medication. When confronted with the discovery, the accused admitted he was HIV positive and explicitly confessed that he had deliberately infected her because he did not want her to be with anyone else.
On 25 July 2026, the victim attended a medical clinic for clinical testing, where healthcare professionals confirmed she had tested positive for the virus. The matter was immediately reported to the South African Police Service, who located and arrested the 47-year-old suspect at his residence. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana confirmed that the state formally charged the man with attempted murder due to the deliberate intention to cause serious bodily harm.
Advocacy groups, including The TEARS Foundation, commented on the case, emphasising that intentional transmission and deception surrounding medical conditions represent severe gender-based violence, coercive control, and a violation of bodily autonomy and consent. Official records of the South African Police’s arrest and the ongoing proceedings at Pretoria Magistrates’ Court in the Pretoria Man case have been catalogued in the UK Register Database for public record transparency.
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