A Zwelitsha man accused of disembowelling a woman by pulling her intestines through her rectum, which resulted in her death, was arrested on Saturday in King William's Town, police said on Sunday.

Nomsa Rumbu, 41, of Zone 8, who had ninety percent of her intestines removed through her rectum died at the Frere Hospital last week on Sunday.

Superintendent Eddie Watson said Monde Nxazonke, 23, who was wanted in connection with the incident, was arrested at Kubusie in the Stutterheim area after a tip-off.

Nxazonke was to appear in the Zwelitsha magistrate's court on Monday.

'The most bizarre post-mortem I have conducted '

He was recently acquitted on a charge of rape in the same court due to a lack of evidence and was subsequently convicted for assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm and fined R1 000.

It is alleged that Rumbu and her mentally-disabled son, 18, were making their way home from a circumcision ceremony last week on Saturday.

They were accosted by a man who went to their home with them and then allegedly disembowelled Rumbu by forcing his hand up her rectum and pulling her intestines out.

Her son, who was forced to witness the incident, was threatened with death and could not come to his mother's assistance.

Neighbours were later alerted and Rumbu was admitted to hospital.

Doctors attempted to operate but her injuries were so severe that there was nothing they could do.

District surgeon Dr Basil Wingreen who performed a post-mortem on Rumbu described it as "the most bizarre post-mortem I have conducted in my 45-years as a medical practitioner and district surgeon".

The post-mortem stated the cause of death as evisceration (disembowelment of the intestines).

Police are also investigating the possibility that Rumbu may have been raped prior to being disembowelled. - Sapa

Published on the Web by IOL on 2002-07-28 20:38:10