Prostitute collapses in court on hearing she is HIV positive

Accra, June 12, GNA 96 A prostitute, who appeared before the La Magistrate=92s Court on Monday for prostituting and soliciting for immoral acts virtually collapsed when she was told that she had tested positive for HIV.

After she had been revived by the Court officials, she held her chest and said: "Awuarade ma koma", meaning 93O! God my heart!=94 She was among seven out of nine Prostitutes, who had been rounded up at various parts of Accra in a joint Police/Military operation and had tested positive for HIV/AIDS.

Seven of them pleaded guilty to prostituting and soliciting for immoral acts.

They will reappear on June 26.

Two of the accused persons, who tested negative for the virus, pleaded not guilty and were granted a 30 million-cedi bail with a surety each.

One of the accused persons told the Court "I am married and pregnant." Another also stated "I'm pregnant also" causing laughter in the Court.

The trial judge, Mrs Florence Otoo, ordered that a pregnancy test be conducted on them to verify the truth of the matter. The Mrs Otoo sensing that the Prostitutes were not counselled asked a medical officer from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, who conducted the test, to counsel them.

The Judge told the court that because of public interest generated in the story, "I have to confine them so that they do not to pass it on to others".