Photo:(Jub Jub couldn’t believe he ran out of lyrics and he will be Hip Hopping to jail)

Johannesburg – He used to have the services of one of the top lawyers in the country, but in his final hours in court, he had to scramble to get someone to represent him.

Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye had to resort to desperate measures to get a lawyer after Ike Motloung dumped him over failure to pay him last October. Maarohanye was then defended by Motloung’s assistant, Wisani Mabaso.

On Tuesday, minutes after Maarohanye was convicted, Mabaso dramatically recused himself from the case, leaving Maarohanye high and dry. The court had to be adjourned for an hour to enable him to find someone who would help him apply for a bail extension.

There was no one, so a dejected Maarohanye had to plead with the court from the dock for his bail to be extended.

”Yes, I know I’m found guilty… Throughout the weekend I was aware of that possibility…” He said as he began his plea.

Maarohanye pleaded with Magistrate Brian Nemavhidi to release him to let him finalise his business matters and appoint someone else to take over his entertainment company. He mentioned having to sort out the policies he had taken out for his two-year-old son, as well as his school fees.

“I’m really hurt about everything,” he said, “I’m not thinking for myself… I understand the actions I was involved in led to this and I’m happy this has reached an end.”

Despite having lost Motloung’s counsel because of his financial woes, Maarohanye – who throughout the trial has been on R10 000 bail – promised to come up with an extra R15 000 in bail should the extension be granted.

State prosecutor Raymond Mathenjwa reminded the court that Maarohanye had been reprimanded numerous times in the past for late coming, that on two occasions he tried to leave the country and that there were no exceptional circumstances to grant him an extension.

Magistrate Nemavhidi said Maarohanye and his co-accused, Themba Tshabalala had had ample time to “get their houses in order”.

He denied them bail and postponed the matter until November 30 for sentencing, after convicting them on four counts of murder, two of attempted murder, racing on a public road without permission and driving while under the influence of drugs. The two were found not guilty of failure to ascertain the injuries of the victims.

Maarohanye and Tshabalala were drag-racing their two Mini Coopers along Mdlalose Street in Protea Glen on March 8, 2010, when they crashed into a group of schoolchildren. Prince Mohube, Mlungisi Cwayi, Andile Mthombeni and Phomello Masemola – who were all walking home from school that afternoon – were killed.

On Tuesday, immediately after the judgment, Tshabalala’s lawyer Mlungiseleli Soviti indicated that they would apply for bail extension so that his client could remain on bail until sentencing in November.

Maarohanye, on the other hand, did not have a lawyer and a legal aid lawyer had to be sought within a few minutes.

Testifying in his bail application, Tshabalala said that after he had been pronounced guilty, he had felt “broken”. He said he realised that he would never have the opportunity to have a future and also achieve his goals.

“I’m remorseful. None of those kids deserved what happened to them,” Tshabalala said as he stood in the dock, head bowed.

Earlier, there was commotion in court during judgment, when the mother of Prince Mohube, one of the boys who died, was overcome by grief and fainted. She was inconsolable as paramedics attended to her, and when her blood pressure skyrocketed, they rushed her to Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.

Article in courtesy of The Star newspaper.

For more details go to http://www.thestar.co.za 

Itsoseng, North West –

A man accused of raping his two-year-old neighbour appeared in the Itsoseng Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, North West police said.

Captain Tselane Nkoala-Nkala said the 35-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday morning.

The girls’ mother was bathing her when she noticed something wrong. The toddler told her mother about the rape. – Sapa

Nairobi, Kenya – Bafana Bafana were rewarded for a dominant display over Kenya as they overcame their African opponents 2-1 in an international friendly match at Nyayo National Stadium, in Nairobi, on Tuesday.

A first half stunner from Tokelo Rantie and an own-goal by Christopher Wekesa saw the visitors score twice in a game where they created a number of chances.

Kenya were awarded a penalty in the 71st minute, and duly converted to level the scores, but Gordon Igesund’s men took four minutes to grab the lead again and a deserved win.

The usual script applied as Bafana failed to convert or create enough chances, but with the changes in Igesund’s first four games in charge, the victory away from home is a credible result.

Igesund will be pleased with the efforts of his troops against African opposition as he looks to finalise his squad for Afcon 2013.

Wayne Sandilands was handed a rare start ahead of Itumeleng Khune as the Bafana’s keeper sat on the bench nursing an ankle niggle.

Kenya, 52 spots below South Africa in the Fifa World rankings at 128th posed little threat upfront, and gave Sandilands little work for the evening, save picking the ball out of the back of the net for the Kenyan penalty.

The game began at a high-tempo, and South Africa were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the Kenyan area in the second minute. It was taken quickly -trying to catch the home side off-guard -but it was an easily saved by Arnold Origi in goal.

In the tenth minute, Siphiwe Tshabalala spurned a close range chance as he found himself in perfect position inside the six yard area with just the keeper to beat, but his first-time shot was off target, drifting out harmlessly for a goal kick.

Three minutes later, Tshabalala again was too hasty with a cross, but the ball hit a Kenyan defender and Rantie was able to get his first strike on goal in, although it was well-wide.

Rantie, however, was on the scoresheet before long with the opening goal in the 20th minute.

Lerato Chabangu showed great vision when it looked like there was little on in the middle of the field, his pinpoint pass through a gap in the defence saw Rantie run onto the ball and from the edge of the area he made no mistake, and smashed the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-0 to the visitors.

The home side had an appeal for a penalty in the 43rd minute, in what seemed their best chance of the first period. Wesley Kemboi went down in the box, but the referee opted to give the Kenyan a yellow card for diving to the groans of the home support.

Tshabalala, reportedly feeling dizzy, was taken off at the break and Sifiso Myeni replaced the Bafana playmaker.

Dino Ndlovu, who was came on for Rantie, nearly scored with his first touch in the 59th minute. From a Bafana corner, Kenya allowed the ball to bounce and Ndlovu pounced on the ball from close range, but the angle was too tight as his strike hit the wrong side of the post.

Bafana conceded a penalty in the 71st minute for a handball by captain Bongani Khumalo. Dennis Oliech stepped up for Kenya, and was clinical from the spot as he levelled the scores with 17 minutes left in the match.

The scores remained level for precisely four minutes. Bernard Parker ran at the home defence from a quick throw-in their half and his shot was deflected into goal by Wekesa for an own-goal to make the score 2-1 to Bafana. – Sapa

Johannesburg – Musician Molemo Jub Jub Maarohanye has been found guilty of killing four schoolchildren while drag racing in Soweto in March 2010.
 
The guilty verdict was handed down at the end a long four-day judgment on Tuesday in the Protea Magistrate’s Court. 

Maarohanye’s co-accused Themba Tshabalala was also found guilty.

Four schoolchildren were killed and two were seriously injured. 

Last week, as Magistrate Brian Nemavhidi read out his judgment, family members of the schoolchildren broke down and were seen comforting each other.