Canadian faces murder trial for spreading AIDS

In the first case of its kind in Canada, a man goes on trial here on Monday on murder charges of spreading AIDS by having unprotected sex w

ith his partners. Two women, who allegedly had sex with 52-year-old Johnson Aziga, have died of AIDS Azigma, who also faces 11 counts of sexual assault, has been custody for the past five year.

He was employed as a research analyst with the office of the Ontario Attorney General before his arrest.

"This is the first time that a Canadian is prosecuted for alleged murder through the alleged dissemination or transmission of the HIV virus," the Canadian Press quoted his lawyer, Davies Bagambiire, as saying.

"I look forward to the evidence unfolding so I can shake it up, cross-examine and demonstrate the holes in the evidence that I believe exist," the lawyer said.

Canada, which has about 60,000 cases of HIV, has seen many criminal trials for HIV transmission in recent years.

Just two weeks ago, a Sudanese immigrant in the city of Winnipeg was jailed for 14 years for exposing six young girls to AIDS by having unprotected sex with them.

Thirty-one-year-old Clato Mabior will be deported to Sudan after he completes his jail term.

One of his victims broke down in courtroom, describing how she was raped by him after he lured with the promise of drugs and alcohol. She said she was only 12 years old at the time. "I was scared. He has a life-threatening disease and he didn't tell me he had it," the girl said.

Earlier this year, another African immigrant in the same city was jailed for eight years for having unprotected sex with three women.