Johannesburg - In a packed Soweto court room on Tuesday, two murder-accused showed no emotion as they listened to the summary of witnesses and police in their trial.
Musician Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye and Themba Tshabalala were allegedly drag-racing in Protea North in March 8, 2010 when they crashed into a group of schoolchildren.
Prince Mohube, Mlungisi Cwayi, Andile Mthombeni, and Phomello Masemola, were killed.
Tshabalala, dressed in a suit, and Maarohanye, in a tan leather jacket and braided hair, did not look at each other once during magistrate Brian Nemavhidi's summary.
Nemavhidi started handing down judgment by comparing and pointing out differences in the testimonies of the witnesses.
He said the eye witnesses corroborated evidence about how the accident happened and the results of drugs tests Maarohanye and Tshabalala had taken tested positive for morphine and cocaine.
“Insinuation of tampering with drug tests can't stand. The results did not change,” he said.
“The urine samples were not tampered with and the cellphone video was not compromised.”
The court accepted the evidence and testimonies of the witnesses.
Tshabalala sat upright, seemingly paying attention to every word, while Maarohanye sat with his arms folded and closed his eyes for long periods at a time.
He occasionally shuffled in his seat, sipped water and scratched his head while Tshabalala did not move. - Sapa