A witness says musician Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye drank only juice before an accident that killed four schoolboys.
|||Murder-accused musician Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye drank only juice before an accident that killed four schoolboys, a witness told the Protea Magistrate's Court on Thursday.
The passenger in Maarohanye's Mini Cooper, Tumelo Mokoka, said the musician registered a “00” reading on the breathalyser when he was tested.
“Maarohanye was tested several times. The traffic officers said the breathalyser might be faulty,” Mokoka told the court.
Maarohanye's co-accused, Themba Tshabalala, however tested positive for alcohol after the accident, he said.
Mokoka told the court Tshabalala drank whisky prior to the accident, while Maarohanye drank “100 percent” juice.
Tshabalala and Maarohanye were allegedly drag racing their Mini Coopers along Mdlalose Drive in Protea North, Soweto, on March 8, 2010, when one of the cars ploughed into a group of schoolboys. Four were killed and two others left with permanent injuries.
They are charged with murder, attempted murder, reckless or negligent driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
Earlier, there was a tense exchange between Mokoka and prosecutor Raymond Mathenjwa, when the witness said: “Chief, I'm not a lawyer to remember every aspect.”
Asked why he had left out crucial aspects about the accident in his statement to police, Mokoka replied: “No answer.”
“Do you know children were killed in this matter? You are not going to channel my questioning,” Mathenjwa said.
Retorted Mokoka: “So you want to channel my answer?”
The State alleges Mokoka's court testimony differs from his written statement. In his statement to police, Mokoka said he saw Tshabalala's car collide with Maarohanye's.
However, in his evidence in court, he said he only heard a loud bang on the right side of Maarohanye's car.
Cross-examined by Mlungiseleli Soviti, for Tshabalala, Mokoka said Tshabalala was slapped at the scene of the accident.
“One guy slapped Themba twice across the face,” he told the court.
He said he then realised the crowd wanted to assault them. He asked a traffic officer to arrange for them to be put into a van for their own safety.
He said the crowd got angry when they recognised Maarohanye. A woman screamed: “Jub Jub has killed our children”.
Soviti told him Tshabalala would deny being slapped at the scene of the accident.
Sporting braided hair and wearing a black jacket, Maarohanye sat with his head bowed, raising it only to write notes for his lawyer Ike Motloung, and to glance at the public gallery.
The trial continues on Friday. - Sapa