Hip-hop artist Molemo Maarohanye, known as Jub Jub, and his co-accused, Themba Tshabalala, tested positive for morphine and cocaine after their drag race that killed four schoolchildren, a Johannesburg court heard on Wednesday.
“His urine test came back positive for cocaine and morphine,” investigating officer Inspector Mpho Matshidiso told the Protea Magistrate’s Court.
This was after state prosecutor Liezl van Jaarsveld asked him about Maarohanye. He repeated the same statement for Tshabalala: “His urine test came back positive for cocaine and morphine.”
But Matshidiso said tests showed that Maarohanye did not have any alcohol in his blood.
Tshabalala, however, had alcohol in his blood. A breathalyser test showed that his alcohol levels were 0,4 milligrams of alcohol per 1000 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 0.24.
The state was arguing that the pair should not be granted bail. Van Jaarsveld also referred to media reports on the accident, including an article in the Sowetan headlined “Release him and we’ll kill him.”
Defence lawyer Ike Motloung then started cross-examining Matshidiso, arguing the two friends should be granted bail.
Maarohanye and Tshabalala face murder charges after four school pupils were killed and two critically injured when the two crashed their Mini Coopers, allegedly while racing in Soweto last week.
They face four charges of murder, two of attempted murder and one each of reckless and drunken driving.
Hundreds of school pupils protested against them being granted bail outside the court.
‘Just go back, go back right now’
Earlier, some journalists were blocked from entering the courtroom.
“We were physically pushed away,” said one of the South African Press Association reporters at the Protea Magistrate’s Court.
Journalists from Beeld, Talk Radio 702, the Sowetan and the Sunday World were prevented from entering court room 7.
“You can’t be here, just go back, go back right now,” a man wearing black pants, a pink shirt and a black tie told reporters.
The man, who refused to give his name, aggressively ordered the community police to take the journalists out.
A court official said he could not do anything because the courtroom was full.
Human barricades of police officials closed off all entrances to the court room.
Outside the court, protests continued. School pupils in their uniforms brandished sticks, tree branches and African National Congress flags.
The gates to the court were locked just before 8.30am for security reasons.
Angry protesters banged on police vans and tried to force their way into the court premises.
Police officials on the scene loaded their guns with rubber bullets and prepared a water cannon as crowds became aggressive and pushed against the gates of the court house.
A police van was hastily parked in front of the gate on the inside of the court premises to prevent the gate from collapsing.
Ready for any eventuality
The area was cordoned off with yellow crime-scene tape and a human barricade was formed by members of the community policing forum.
“Thula, Mama, Thula [Don’t cry, Mama],” protesters sang to family members of the boys.
Many of the protesters were high school children while others seemed primary school age.
“No bail for Jub Jub, end of story,” read one placard.
A 14-year-old boy said his entire school was there to protest.
“Jub Jub was a good example for us, we looked up to him but now we don’t, he said.
By 10am the crowd had swollen to more than 1Â 000 people and they were singing, “leave them behind bars and throw the keys away”, “babulale abafowethu [they killed our friends] and “Asibasabi siya bafuna [we are not scared of them]”.
They also sang “Viva, uyezamukhonto [the weapon is coming]”.
Police spokesperson Inspector Kay Makhubele said they were ready for any eventuality. — Sapa