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THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 11 2012 02:42 | LAST UPDATED Feb 11 2012 02:42 |
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A witness to reggae icon Lucky Dube's murder admitted to lying under oath in all his statements to the police, following an indemnity promise by the state if he told the truth. Thabo Maropeng (27) on Wednesday told the Johannesburg High Court that his actions were prompted by fear of retaliation from his three co-accused. He, however, said he was not lying in his testimony in court. "I don't deny writing the statement, I wrote it when I was in Johannesburg prison and I was very wary of what I was saying, because I thought my co-accused would find out if I told the truth," Maropeng said. He was referring to one of the statements showed to him during cross-examination. He also admitted to lying under oath in another statement after being told of possible indemnity. "I did not know what was going to happen to me when I made the statements ... I only decided to tell the whole truth after I was released from prison because I knew nothing would happen to me then." Although Maropeng could only recall making two statements since his arrest, defence advocate Mpho Milubi insisted he made three, the last one on June 9 2008. Milubi said the last statement explained why there were discrepancies in the first two statements. He then accused Maropeng of shifting blame and fabricating evidence to get indemnity, saying he didn't want to be seen as someone who played a role in the murder. "No. I was there. I knew we were going to steal cars," responded Maropeng, adding that what mattered to him most was telling the truth.  CONTINUES BELOW "Whether I get it [indemnity] or not it doesn't matter, my intention is to tell the truth before court." Maropeng said he did not initially report Dube's murder to police because he was afraid his co-accused would kill him. Asked why he was telling the truth now, he said: "I'm not scared now." When asked by the defence counsel what the difference was between reporting the matter to the police then, and testifying on behalf of the state now, Maropeng said: "If I had reported it then, they [the three accused] would have known that I am the one who sold them out ... I don't know what would have happened to me if we were locked up together." Maropeng's cross-examination would continue on Thursday. -- Sapa TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
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