THE Zimbabwe-born circus performer who faces charges of passing on HIV to at least two women in Australia was released on bail after he indicated he had no desire to return to his country of birth.
The Brisbane Supreme court judge who presided over the case on Tuesday granted Godfrey Zaburoni bail after legal aid lawyers representing him assure the court that the 32 year-old had no desire to return to Zimbabwe and surrendered his passport.
The lawyers also told the court that he would live in the capital Sydney with his girlfriend who was also willing to pay the A$5000 bail surety.
However partial freedom came with stringent conditions including that he use a condom, inform potential partners of his HIV status and not be intimate with them without securing their expressed consent.
The former Gold Coast-based acrobat must also have counselling and learn about the virus. In addition he cannot not to go out to clubs between the hours of midnight and 6am.
Prosecutors had opposed bail saying putting conditions on Mr Zaburoni's 'bedroom' behaviour would be difficult to enforce.
The argued that conditions to ensure he did not stay at licensed premises after midnight were needed to protect “vulnerable women in a state of intoxication”.
"The risk is simply that he will continue to have encounters with women and not disclose his status," the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor also said investigators had been contacted, as at the time of today's bail hearing, by 37 women claiming to have had a sexual encounter with Zaburoni.
The acrobat, who had been in custody since his arrest in New South Wales (NSW) on May 24, is currently facing four charges over alleged offences committed against two women between February 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008.
Police allege Zaburoni, who was aware of his HIV status, intentionally tried to harm the women by having unprotected sex with them and not informing either he was carrying a serious sexually communicable disease.