THE star of an HIV-Aids documentary which won a prestigious award last year is suing the programme makers, claiming he was used for financial gain.

HIV-positive Peter Pasipamire says in papers filed at the High Court that he agreed to appear in the documentary, Pain in My Heart, after journalist Hopewell Chin’ono promised to pay him US$3,000.

Filmmaker Chin’ono won the CNN Multi-Choice African Journalist of the Year Award for the highly-acclaimed documentary, picking up a US$7,000 cash prize, a laptop computer and a Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellowship. The 10-minute short film has since been shown on Zimbabwe Television, Nigeria's BEN Television and Passion TV, Ghana's OBE and the UK's SKY TV.

But Pasipamire’s lawyers say Chin’ono and his company, Television International Pvt Ltd, “took advantage of his illness when they approached him and believed he would eventually die. They have to date not delivered as per their undertaking.”

Albert Chambati, of the Justice Aids Trust, said on Tuesday they had engaged lawyer Innocent Maja of Maja and Associates on behalf of Pasipamire to force Chin’ono to cough-up.

Chambati said: “This case will serve to highlight the abuse of people living with HIV and AIDS, and it might help others in similar situations to come out and challenge those who are abusing them.”

Papers filed with the High Court say sometime in early 2007, Pasipamire -- who is living openly and positively with HIV -- fell critically ill and his condition was quickly deteriorating into full-blown AIDS.

He was rescued from his perilous situation by the River of Life Church which gave him accommodation, food and anti-retroviral treatment.

The lawyers say it was during this period of illness and desperation that Pasipamire was approached by Chin’ono, who advised him that he was a journalist keen to shoot the documentary on HIV and AIDS, and wanted Pasipamire’s participation.

“The documentary would highlight the dire shortage of antiretroviral treatment in Zimbabwe, and Pasipamire’s own experience would be used to highlight the plight of people living with HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe,” according to Pasipamire’s claim.

It was made clear to Pasipamire that the documentary would be for commercial purposes, on top of being educational and informative, the lawyers add.

Chin’ono, according to Pasipamire’s account, made an oral undertaking to pay him through his company US$3,000 which he would use to start-up a business of his choice to enable him to improve his quality of life.

“Pasipamire accepted the offer since he was in dire need of money to assist him in managing his condition, and believed Chin’ono genuinely wanted to assist him,” his lawyers say.

But Chin’ono may have made this promise because Pasipamire was bed-ridden and was not expected to live, “but grace was nevertheless such that the he lived and he has since recovered,” the papers add.

The other star of the documentary, a woman named Angeline Chiyanike, died when the short film was still being made and Chin’ono went on to set up a Trust in her name to look after young orphans who lost their parents to Aids.

Pasipamire’s lawyers say Chin’ono, through his company, is “extensively selling, marketing and distributing the documentary outside Zimbabwe”, but its biggest star has benefitted nothing for his central role.

“Pasipamire was clearly used, abused and dumped by Chin’ono and Television International in order for them to achieve their own personal financial goals, which they did,” his lawyers said.