A friend said Magdeline Makola still suffers from pains in her leg and must walk on crutches, the Edinburgh Evening News reported. Hannah Letsholo, who works with Makola at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, said most of her problems were caused by being kept in a confined space for nine days.

Sifiso Justice Ngema, 35, has been charged with Makola's attempted murder. He made a second appearance Tuesday in Linlithgow Sheriff's Court and was held without bail.

Makola and Ngema, both natives of South Africa, were acquaintances.

Police found Makola Dec. 26 in Airdrie, about 20 miles from her home in Livingston. She was treated at Monklands Hospital there.

"She has been talking openly about her ordeal, to the point where you sometimes forget what she's been through when she's talking about it, so it doesn't seem like she's been affected psychologically by what's happened," Letsholo said.