Rapist identified by body odour

22 April 2013 - 10:06 By Sapa
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A nose. File photo.
A nose. File photo.
Image: Jennifer Polixenni Brankin/Getty Images

A woman was able to identify her alleged rapists by smelling their body odour a year after the crime, it was reported.

The Star reported that several years ago the woman was raped after catching a taxi home from work.

In the dark, she was unable to see her two attackers. After raping and robbing her, they pushed her out of the taxi and left her naked at the side of the road.

According to The Star, the police asked her to attend an identity parade a year later, as they had arrested two men in connection with the crime. At the identity parade, she asked to be allowed to smell the men.

A policeman reportedly guided her as she walked down the line of men with her eyes closed, sniffing each man's chest.

Ngcombolo identified two of the men by their body odour. According to the report, it was not the men's soap or perfume Ngcombolo could smell, but their natural body odour.

The men had since appeared in court, but it was unclear what happened in the court proceedings, other than that the judge reportedly told Ngcombolo this was the first such case with which she had dealt.

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