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Tongueless man on trial for rape

NOT TALKING: Jabulani Magagula appeared in the Barberton magistrate's court. Pic. Alfred Moselakgomo. 03/06/08. © Sowetan.
NOT TALKING: Jabulani Magagula appeared in the Barberton magistrate's court. Pic. Alfred Moselakgomo. 03/06/08. © Sowetan.

Alfred Moselakgomo

Alfred Moselakgomo

A man whose tongue was bitten off by his victim when he allegedly raped her will face rape, housebreaking and robbery charges.

The Barberton magistrate's court in Mpumalanga decided to set the rape charges against Jabulani Magagula, 36, for today, while the one for housebreaking and robbery will be heard next month.

Magagula had a piece of his tongue bitten off by a 34-year-old woman he allegedly raped.

The woman was returning from a night vigil at about 8pm last month when she was attacked.

Police sent out an alert to hospitals to be on the lookout for a man with a piece of his tongue missing. She had brought it with her to the police station, saying it belonged to the man who raped her.

But Magagula had gone to a private doctor to have the injury tended to and was only arrested after a tip-off from the public about a tongueless man living in Barberton.

After his arrest the police realised Magagula was a wanted man and had been on the run since 2006.

It is alleged that he broke into a house while the owners were away and burgled it.

He was arrested but failed to appear in court and a warrant of arrest was issued.

Now Magagula, who has difficulty speaking, will have to stand trial for housebreaking and rape.

The court on Monday rescheduled his rape trial to begin today and the trial for housebreaking and robbery will begin on July 8 this year.

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