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A "healer" in court for infecting 16 people with HIV between 2001 and 2005 by giving them acupuncture with needles infected with the virus, has been arrested by local police after he stopped showing up for court appearances.

Maurice Goeller, 53, who does not have HIV himself, was charged with infecting people with the HIV virus, according to Reuters.

He was out on bail since August, but stopped going to his court for his trial when it began on March 6. Swiss police said on Friday Goelle had barricaded himself inside, was armed with a knife and had issued repeated threats.

A five-judge panel at Bern-Mitelland regional court charged Goeller of spreading human disease and causing serious bodily harm. Goeller responded by saying that they could have infected each other. He says he thinks that the 16 people were encouraged to accuse him of the crime, and said that he is currently following psychiatric treatment.

Goeller, a music teacher and acupuncturist, is charged with infecting his patients who many of them were his music students, with the virus.