Bailed out
Physical abuser Gabriel goes from the frying pan into the fire when he gets help with his court case.
Gabriel gives Nikiwe (right) and her friend Kgothalo (Katlego Danke) a piece of his mind at court. Weekdays SABC3 (*193) 19:00
Former lovers Nikiwe and Gabriel (Linda Sokhulu and Aubrey Poo) are facing off in court from Monday 8 January as Gabriel is forced to pay for beating Nikiwe in mid-2017. “He has to face justice,” explains Aubrey. “He did the crime, now he has to do the time.” Meanwhile, jealous shebeen queen and master manipulator Nina (Khabonina Qubeka) is going to use Gabriel to get revenge on Nikiwe for kicking her out of Sibeko Gold and treating her like trash for being a Zamdela and “a lowly bar owner”. “She is opportunistic,” warns Aubrey. “Nina never does anything without reason!” But there’s still a fluttering of love in Gabriel’s heart for his ex-fiancée and he isn’t sure that he would be able to harm Nikiwe for Nina.
WARNING LIGHTS
Gabriel has barely been scraping by since his return to The Deep in October 2017. “He doesn’t have money and he can’t afford a proper lawyer. He doesn’t know how he will get out of this mess,” says Aubrey. Nina does – she will be helping him get bail on Thursday 11 January after his first court appearance. “Gabriel knows the fabric that Nina is cut from. He is all too well aware that she is helping him to help herself – and that means she is going after Nikiwe,” warns Aubrey.
MAN OF MANY COLOURS
Nikiwe could send Gabriel to jail, but it’s his own fault. “Nothing warrants an attack.” explains Aubrey. “There was no showdown when they saw each other in court [on Wednesday 10 January]. But don’t mistake his accepting of a sentence as changing his ways.” The actor says that a character like his can’t be played lukewarm: “Gabriel has to be hot or cold. He’s a villain. He will go to counselling [later in the month] but it doesn’t mean that he has changed or is a saint.” When you take two characters as colourful as Nina and Gabriel, expect fireworks! No one crosses Nina – especially when you’re in her debt.