Mbombela - A man accused of raping two young girls wrestled with police officers during his appearance in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Monday.
The 19-year-old man, who cannot be named until he has pleaded to two charges of rape, argued with Magistrate Willie Wilkins about the postponement of his case, a Sapa correspondent reported.
The matter was postponed to May 6, and the man would remain in custody.
The accused refused, saying this was too long to wait.
Wilkins told him: “You will appear on May 6. There are no other dates available... Otherwise you'll have to wait for June 12, August or September... Please do not play games with me.”
The man then told Wilkins that he was sick, and that he would die in custody.
“The date is too far. I am sick, I cannot go back,” he said.
The man was arrested last May for allegedly raping two girls, aged seven and 10.
Wilkins then changed the postponed date to June 12, for further police investigations.
When a police officer attempted to remove the accused from the dock, the man told the officer not to touch him.
“I want to talk to the magistrate. Do not touch me. I do not want to go.”
When the officer attempted to remove him a second time, the man jumped towards the magistrate, but the officer grabbed him.
The accused then wrestled with the officer, pinning him to the ground.
A second police officer, who tried to help his colleague, was also overpowered.
When court officials tried to help the police officers, the man repeatedly hit his head against a wall. His head began to bleed.
He is now back in police custody.
Sapa