Alex Matlala

Alex Matlala

matlala@sowetan.co.za

A LIMPOPO man lost part of his tongue after forcing a 71-year-old pensioner he was raping to kiss him.

The man and his accomplice broke into the pensioner's house in Vaalkraal near Dennilton, on Wednesday.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Ronel Otto said the two men repeatedly raped the pensioner.

"One of the men forced the pensioner to kiss him but he got more than he bargained for when she cut his tongue off with her sharp teeth," said Otto.

The rapist then ran off into the night.

"The pensioner called the police and when they arrived there was blood streaming from the house to nearby bushes," Otto said.

"A massive search for the men was then launched at local hospitals and clinics and he was found at Philadelphia Hospital.

"His tongue had been cut off but he said he could not tell why and what cut it.

"After cross-examination, he admitted to police that his tongue was cut off by a woman they were raping," she said.

He then led them to his 35-year-old accomplice. The missing piece of his tongue has not been found.

Otto said the injured man was under police guard at the hospital and that he would appear in court when he was discharged from hospital.

The attack on the woman was harshly criticised by Archbishop Prince Matlakatlaka of the Faith Mission for Angelical Church of South Africa.

Matlakatlaka said rapists should be jailed and "be given 10 strokes of the sjambok on their buttocks" every month until the end of their sentence.

"Such offenders must be given punishment which would serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders," the clergyman said.