100% INNOCENT
Witness paints angelic picture of Jub Jub
I put it to you that you re giving tailor-made evidence to suit accused number 1
THE wooden bench at the Protea Magistrates ’ Court must have felt like a red-hot frying pan as Jub Jub ’ s second witness was roasted alive in the witness box.
The hip-hop supremo, real name Molemo Maarohanye, was bouncing from the middle to the edge of his bench when prosecutor Raymond Mathenjwa posed two drug-related questions to witness Tumelo Mokoka on Thursday.
Mokoka was a passenger in Jub Jub ’ s grey Mini Cooper when the accident happened that claimed the lives of four pupils and maimed two others in Protea Glen’s Mdlalose Street two years ago.
It is alleged Jub Jub and co-accused Themba Tshabalala were drag-racing.
Jub Jub’s face became pale and his eyes popped out when Mathenjwa asked Mokoka if he’d ever heard of “artists taking drugs”.
Mokoka ’ s answer unsettled Jub Jub further and he shook his head.
Mathenjwa ’ s follow up questions rattled him more. He tried to get the attention of his lawyer, Ike Motloung, but Motloung waved his right hand, dismissing him.
Mokoka said he’d heard the rumour that Jub Jub took drugs.
“I spoke to him about it and he said he didn’t take them,” said Mokoka much to the irritation of
– those in the gallery, who had started shouting “druggie!”
They were stopped by court orderlies. Meanwhile Jub Jub had buried his head under the table like a man going into his closet to say a short prayer.
Behind him his family, including his dad Sydney Maarohanye, looked on helplessly as the testimony became too heavy for his son to bear. To Jub Jub’s relief, Mokoka told the court Tshabalala’s blue Mini Cooper had bumped into Jub Jub’s car and then hit the schoolchildren.
Mathenjwa then put it to him that he was
“giving tailor-made evidence to suit accused number 1 (Jub Jub)”.
When asked whether Jub Jub and Tshabalala drank alcohol before the accident, Mokoka said Tshabalala was drinking whisky while Jub Jub drank 100% pure juice.
The gallery, which was packed with the victims’ family members, grumbled and mumbled, labelling the witness a “liar”.
Mokoka denied that the cars were drag-racing, saying that after the accident he helped Jub Jub to get out of the wrecked car.
He said the only person who disappeared after the accident and was never heard of again was Tsha- balala’s girlfriend, known only as Mmabatho.
Friday seemed to be more favourable for Jub Jub as Mpumelelo Vezi, who was a passenger in Tshabalala’s car, took the stand.
Vezi testified that Tshabalala was responsible for the crash.
As he spoke Jub Jub kept nodding his head.
He said Tshabalala hit Jub Jub’s car and spun about three times before hitting the school kids, who were walking on the pavement.
“It then hit a kerb and flipped, hitting more kids in the process,” he said.
Vezi said the relationship between Jub Jub, Tshabalala and him had become hostile.
“It’s a difficult situation since I’m the one who introduced them to one another,” said Vezi.
Tshabalala is expected to take the witness box when the case resumes in May. masungwinin@sundayworld.co.za SMS S1 and your comments to 32467. SMSES are charged at R1 each.