A 40-year old cleaner is in the grips of the law following an accusation that he has defiled a 12-year-old girl at North Legon, a suburb in Accra. John Kupa Azika charged with defilement, pleaded not guilty when he appeared before an Accra Circuit Court and was granted bail in the sum of ¢5,000 with two sureties. He is to reappear on March 2 this year, before the court presided over by Justice Rita Abrokwah-Doko. However, the court will have to unravel the mystery as to how the 12-year old victim had tested positive of HIV but the accused is negative. According to the prosecution, the complainant is the father of the victim and resides at North Legon together with the accused. Chief Inspector Judith B. Asante, who is leading the prosecution said, On March 4, 2018, the victim went to sell ice cream at an Islamic wedding ceremony within the community. She said whiles there, the alleged victim and two other girls run into the accused, who bought some of the ice cream on credit and asked them to come for the money at his house later since they are in the same community. The Prosecution said the victim later went to the house of Azika, entered his room, but as soon as she entered, Azika undressed himself and proposed to the victim but she declined. Chief Inspector Asante said according to the victim, Azika pushed her onto his bed, held her mouth and had sexual intercourse with her and warned her not tell anyone else he would kill her. The prosecution said Azika on the other hand, admitted that he attempted to have sexual intercourse with the victim by inserting his penis into her vagina, but realized that he could not penetrate her because it was too small. The prosecution said Azika indicated that he got up and paid the girl for the ice cream and he asked her to go home. She said later the victim occasionally fell sick and was taken to the hospital where she tested HIV positive.  The prosecution said the victim’s father quizzed her daughter who narrated her ordeal with Azika to him. She said a report was made to the Adentan Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) and on February 2, this year, a Police medical report form was issued to the complainant to send the victim to any government hospital for further medical attention. The prosecution said the endorsed medical report form recommended that the accused, and the parents of the victim should be screened. She said on February 5, this year, Azika was arrested where he consented to being screened for HIV and was so taken to the Adenta Trust Hospital, where the results proved negative.