Wife convicted of infecting husband with HIV

A stripper who knowingly infected her husband of eight years with HIV should spend the rest of her life behind bars, the victim says. "I got a life sentence, why can't she?" asked the husband, who only wants to be identified as P.W. because he fears the stigma of the disease.

The case, believed to the first of its kind in Canada, came before the Toronto courts on Tuesday for a sentencing hearing. The judge lifted a publication ban on Tuesday, allowing the identity of the wife, Suwalle Iamkhong, to be made public.

"The legal system should not cover up for any criminal," P.W. said after the ruling.

Iamkhong, a landed immigrant from Thailand, was convicted of aggravated assault causing bodily harm last month for knowingly infecting her husband. The court heard the couple met at a downtown strip club in 1997 and had what the victim describes as eight good years of marriage.

Iamkhong knew she had HIV but never revealed that to her husband until March 2004 when she developed full-blown AIDS, requiring hospitalization and forcing her to disclose the illness.

"To this day I still say it, 'Why?'" P.W. asked outside court. "I cared about her, I wanted the best for her and gave her the best." P.W. hasn't spoken to Iamkhong since he was diagnosed with HIV. The victim says he is isn't divorcing from his wife until she is sentenced later this month.

P.W. hasn't had to take any the retroviral drugs yet and does not suffer any adverse effects yet.

The Crown is asking for a prison term of three years, while the defense is asking for a term of house arrest.

- CTV (Canada)


Suwalle Iamkhong hurries past cameras outside the courthouse.
CTV


'I got a life sentence, why can't she?' asked the husband, who only wants to be identified as P.W. because he fears the stigma of the disease.
CTV