Nurse charged for infecting 100 villagers with HIV in Cambodia

A nurse has been charged with murder after being accused of causing the spread of HIV to more than 100 villagers in north-western Cambodia, a court official has said.

Heng Luy, Deputy Prosecutor at Battambang provincial court, on Monday, confirmed charging unlicensed local nurse Yem Chrin on charges including spreading HIV, murder by torture, and running a unlicensed clinic.

Luy said the murder charge applied to the possible deaths by caused by AIDS.

Chrin faces a life sentence if found guilty of the murder charge, and up to 15 years in jail for transmitting HIV.

At least 105 villagers including 19 children were reported HIV positive, according to local media.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, however, expressed doubts that that the nurse could have caused such a massive HIV outbreak during a public speech he gave on Thursday.

Villager Em Pov, whose wife and four children have been found to be HIV positive, said he and other villagers do not believe Chrin caused the infections intentionally.

“Mr Chrin is a good guy.

“He has been a nurse to my family for over 20 years,” Pov said.