Judge on leave, case postponed

2003-04-07 20:41

Johannesburg - The Johannesburg High Court postponed the trial of alleged serial rapist Fanwell Khumalo for four months on Monday because presiding Judge Max Labe is going on leave.

The 42 rape charges against the former chef relate to incidents that took place between 1998 and 2001.

Prosecutor Marile van Heerden told the court that the State still had three schoolgirls who were expected to testify against Khumalo.

The State would also present forensic evidence to the court, Van Heerden said.

The postponement came after a schoolgirl, one of Khumalo's alleged rape victims, testified on closed circuit television on Monday.

The girl was 10-years-old when Khumalo allegedly attacked her. She told the court on Monday that she was raped at an abandoned "for sale house".

She said she was taken there by a person who identified himself as a policeman.

At a police identity parade on July 26 2001, the young girl identified Khumalo as the man who had raped her.

Khumalo's advocate Mike Miller has told the court that his client denies the charges and is the victim of mistaken identity.

Khumalo, who was arrested in 2001, complained to the court on Monday that some of his items that were seized during his arrest seemed to have disappeared.

The trial will resume on to August 4.

- SAPA