A 55 year-old Cambodia doctor Yem Chroeum that was detained last week has been charged today for infecting over 100 people with HIV infection in a remote village after admitting being guilty to the charges.
“He has confessed to sometimes reusing needles and syringes over the past years,”.Hundreds of residents of Roka village in the western province of Battambang have flocked for testing since news of the infections emerged two weeks ago.
Last week health officials said a total of 106 people may have been infected in Roka, formal charges were pressed against Chroeum at Battambang provincial court today.
However “he has been charged with three counts which include the intention to infect others with HIV/AIDS, murder with cruel act, and operating an unlicensed clinic,” prosecutor Nuon San told AFP.
He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted just of murder with “cruel act”. His reasons for the alleged reusing needles and syrings on patients remains unclear.
An investigation into the outbreak by the kingdom’s Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and UNAIDS is under way.