A victim of Leon Santos Conga, a convicted soldier from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), has asked the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court to give him a life sentence.
Conga was convicted of rape, attempted murder, and intentionally infecting a South African Air Force (SAAF) sergeant with HIV.
“I wish for the court to give him the harshest sentence possible and that he is taken out of society so that he doesn’t infect any vulnerable person. He literally has given me a death sentence and I do not wish this on anybody else,” she said.
During sentencing arguments, the victim, a sergeant in the SAAF, delivered an emotional testimony, describing the devastating impact of the crime on her life. She recounted the psychological toll, stating that she had lost her dignity and self-worth due to Conga’s actions.
“I have lost my dignity and respect. He not only gave me a death sentence to my body but killed my entire life, emotions, self-image and sense of worth. I have nothing against the accused other than the fact that he infected me with HIV. He did not disclose his HIV positive status to me and denied being HIV positive,” she said.
Conga, who was aware of his HIV status since 2007, withheld this information from the victim, leading the court to convict him of attempted murder. The victim expressed her wish for the harshest sentence to prevent Conga from harming others.
AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, which has supported the victim since 2018, played a crucial role in securing Conga’s medical records, forcing the SANDF to release them. Without these records, the case had been previously withdrawn twice due to insufficient evidence. Conga continued to deny his HIV status, even during sentencing.
The court acknowledged that the victim only consented to sex under the belief that the soldier was HIV-negative. The magistrate accepted her testimony, stating that had she known of his condition, she would not have consented.
Sentencing has been postponed until September 25. The prosecution, led by Emile van der Merwe, has been praised for its dedication, while the victim hopes for justice to be served.