• Rape victim tests HIV positive• She was first raped when she was
8years oldA 12-year-old girl who resides in Jahi district with her
parents has tested HIV positiveafter she confessed that her
25-year-old half brother, Abdullahi Mohammed and his friends have been
repeatedly raping her for the past four years.She told City News that
her mother was divorced when she was just born and she has been living
with her father in a two-bedroom public apartment
(face-me-I-face-you)in Jahi district. She said her half brother
started raping herwhen she was 8 years old, and each time he raped
her, he would threaten to kill her if shetold their father. "My father
married my step mother who has a son."We were living peacefully until
one night when I was lying on the floor and Brother Abdullahi came and
started handling my breasts. When he didn't see breasts, he said he
would suck them until they came out. When I objected, he raped me. He
used a handkerchief to wipe off the blood that was coming out from my
private part. He threatened to slash my throat if I told anybody."I
didn't tell anybody and it continued. He raped me every night; and
sometimes he brought his friends, especially Ahmed along with him To
Molest me," she recounted. She said she couldn't tell anyone because
she was afraidthat he may carry out his threats.She was also afraid
that she could be maltreated by her step mother. Our reporter
gathered that during holidays, the girl continuously fell sick; hence
her father was advised by neighbours to take her to the hospital. When
he did, she was diagnosed with HIV. It was when her father, who was
very angry, sought to know how she contracted the deadly disease that
she revealed that her Abdullahi and his friends, had raped her for
four years. Subsequently,her father reported the case tothe police at
Mabushi, following which the two men were arrested. They confessed to
the crime.A police source told our reporter that the case took another
twist when the two suspects were taken to the hospital and their
medical reports came out HIV negative.Speculations therefore emerged
that her mother was HIV positive when she had her,the reason why she
was sent away by her husband. "She was not tested when she was an
infant, and maybe she was HIV positive from birth. Her half brother
confessed that he was the first man to have had sex with the victim
and how she got that HIV still remains a mystery," the police source
said. When contacted, the Mabushi divisional police officer, Chief
Superintendent Ayobami Surajudeen confirmed the story and said that
having gotten medical reports, the case would now be transferredto the
State Criminal Investigation Department. He advised parents to be
watchful when they bring adult males toshare bed with their little
daughters.
