Following a huge amount of mails from Kenyans about the Swedish woman who accused an HIV positive Kenyan man of rape, assault, attempt at HIV infection and other charges, KSB has traced the woman and put the questions Kenyans have been raising to her. The Kenyan is currently on trial. Below, she takes the questions one by one.
KSB: Following the TV3 “Insider” Program, some Kenyans think that the fate of John is fixed and that appearing in the program was part of your design to fix him. What is your view?
Liz: During this process, reporters from Aftonbladet, Expressen, Metro, Stockholm City, you name it, called me and asked for interviews. I declined all of them because I don’t think that they are serious and would make out anything positive for me or for John. All that they want is to have their scandal headlines and that is something I don’t want to be a part of. “Insider” wanted my story and I wanted something from them; I wanted them to go after smittskyddsenheten (Department for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases) because I blame them for what happened to me. They have done wrong and they could and should have stopped John from doing this to me and many others a long time ago. That was my only agenda.
KSB: You know that John might be deported after he serves his jail term. What do you have to say to those who think that it is wrong that your child will now not have a father since his deportation is on the agenda and that you influenced the situation?
LIZ: First of all I did not influence the situation, he did when he decided to do the things that he did to his children. He never really cared about anyone of them. If he loved his daughter, would he have raped and tried to infect her mother with a deadly disease? What positive message can an abuser of women teach his daughter? I don’t know, but the decision of deportation is not on my hands. It’s up to the Court.
KSB: A Kenyan said that you were very skilful when dealing with the media (TV report). Why did you take the story to the media when it is still in court? Were you trying to improve your side of the story to ensure that John goes to jail or what was your real intention?
LIZ: Actually I had an agreement with “Insider” that they should not send the Program until the trial was over but the investigation got prolonged and they could not wait any longer since it was the last program this season
KSB: Kenyans say that as a Swede, you know how Swedish psychology works. You were very emotional during the Report. Some Kenyans believe that you created the impression of an innocent white woman suffering under an HIV positive African. Was it real or were you playing to the media deliberately to make it look like if he is released, then the Swedish justice system is crazy.
LIZ: Well I don’t know why I should know how Swedish psychology works. Is it because I am a Swede? I don’t think my nationality or skin colour has anything to do with the case. I am not trying to portray myself as an innocent white woman. Yes, I was very emotional during the recording of the Program. During the clip outside Karolinska hospital, I was just minutes away from finding out if I was HIV positive or not, and I can assure you that I don’t need to fake my emotions. I have been going through a nightmare and I am just waking up from it.
KSB: The media loves this kind of story – African-HIV positive – assaulting a white woman – rape etc. Why didn’t you report the rape cases in the past and why now? You knew that he had HIV. How could you even think of sleeping with him on the same bed after you knew his status? You say that he threatened you. Did you report that immediately after he tried to rape you without protection or did it take more time. Many Kenyans cannot understand this.
LIZ: When I found out that he was positive, I was seven months pregnant and he cried. I held him and promised that I would never leave him. For Gods sake, I loved the man. Should I have left him because he was sick?
However, things didn’t end there. He got more and more violent and finally I threw him out of the apartment in January 2007. After that, we decided to stay together and work with the relationship but not to live together for a while.
After that, he started threatening me that if I did not do as he told me, he would go to the police and the Immigration authorities to tell them about what I did. (Helping a guy obtain residence in Sweden).
He said that I would end up in prison and that he would make sure that I will never see my kids again and that my friend would get deported. I felt that I had no choice!
In September, I was completely broken down psychologically. I was desperate for a way out. I called a lawyer and explained the situation. She told me I didn’t have to go to jail for that so the next time John wanted to have sex with me without protection I said NO.
That’s when he raped me. In my mind, I have never thought about other forced sexual encounters I experienced as rape. I took them as blackmail but it was the decision of police to call them rape. In my mind, rape includes violence and there was no violence, just threats.
KSB: Kenyans definitely think that you are not racist because then, you couldn’t have taken a relationship with John in the first place. The belief is that he had many women and that you just wanted to fix him after he left you. This is also his defence. What is your view?
LIZ: Well, he never left me. As I explained, I threw him out. Yes, we were together and I knew he was seeing women on the side lines. That is something he did from day one so why would I go crazy about it now?
KSB: How can you respond to this email sent by a KSB reader: “Hi, yes I saw the show but I am going to watch the re-run tonight. I feel sorry for the girl, horrible, horrible what she has been thru! But, I guess her husband was known for being kinda disrespectful to women. But I would still want to know if that nasty rumor is true cause I happened to see xxx (a Kenyan – name on file) in a club less than two months ago dancing a real tight booty dance with a tall very beautiful white girl with long black hair – might have been her? Well I guess now I am putting my big nose were it doesn’t belong again….”
LIZ: Xxx is John’s best friend. I have only met him a few times so I don’t even know him but from what I have heard, he is happily married and has a family. Even though some of his words in the blogs has hurt me I understand and respect that he is on his friend’s side. There are no romantic connections between him and me and there never never will be.
KSB: Another mail, what is your response?: “I don’t know the lady but I think there are some things she has made to fix (John). The guy was strong and if he beat her, she could have been so injured that she could have reported to police long time. How comes that she hid herself from Kenyans when she was with John and now she wants everybody to know the bad things John did to her by going on TV. Why can’t she just be patient and wait for the case to end then go on TV. Why do it now when the case is very hot? You should ask these questions in the blog because you have not attacked her yet. John might have done bad things to her but she is also a bitch and she needs to be told. I don’t mean real bitch because I also feel sorry for what she went thru – if they are true”.
LIZ: Yes, I was very injured and went to “vårdcentralen” (local clinic) on several occasions. The photos that the Doctors took are being used in the trial as evidence. I never tried to hide from Kenyans when I was with John but he did not allow me to go to the Kenyan parties. I guess it could have gotten harder for him to get “friendly” with the Kenyan ladies if he brought a pregnant girlfriend to a party. But I wanted to go. Just to make it clear. I don’t like that people call me a bitch cause I am really not. I don’t like that word. It’s degrading to all women and we should not call them that.
KSB: Other Kenyans have said that the case should be a warning to Kenyans with white girls – they can fix you anytime and the system will support them “because the system is racist”. What is your reaction.
LIZ: The system is not racist but some people are. In a court, things have to be put beyond reasonable doubt through evidence for a person (no matter his or her skin colour) to be judged and sent to prison. So I don’t think there is a very big risk that an innocent person could get judged and be jailed. I dont think Swedish women have a special interest in putting their boy friends behind bars.
KSB: Thank you for the interview. We will continue to follow the case.
Okoth Osewe
KSB NOTE:
Both John and Liz are assumed names for purposes of protecting privacy.
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