Lawyers for Dr. Sulley Ali Gabass, the senior medical doctor at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi, standing trial over sodomy charges, have broken their long silence on the HIV status of their client.

According to John Benson, lead counsel for the doctor, a report they had tendered at the Accra Gender-Based Violence Circuit Court shows that the accused person is HIV negative.

State prosecutors are alleging that the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital doctor has transmitted the HIV virus to the 16-year-old senior high school student he is alleged to have sodomised.

But Mr. Benson disagrees, insisting that Dr. Gabass has nothing to do with the HIV-positive status of the victim.

Although DAILY GUIDElearnt that the prosecution had raised a strong objection to the report, the lawyer argues that there is no evidence to link his client to the supposed transmission of the virus to the victim.

Dr. Ali Gabass was on Friday ordered to open his defence in respect of the case after the court, presided over by Mrs. Rita Agyeman-Budu, had dismissed a motion to stay proceedings.

The court had in an earlier sitting dismissed a submission of no case application filed by lawyers for the accused on the grounds that the defence counsel could not discredit the case of the prosecution.

He is expected to close his defence of Friday, June 5, 2015.

Dr. Ali Gabass has been in custody over a two-count charge of defiling a child under 16 years and unnatural carnal knowledge – an offence he has denied.