Jub Jub waiting for legal aid for bail bid

2012-10-16 14:22

Johannesburg - The Protea Magistrate's Court granted an adjournment until 15:00 on Tuesday to allow Molemo Jub Jub Maarohanye to get legal aid for a bail application.

This comes after Maarohanye’s previous defence lawyer quit after the musician and Themba Tshabalala were found guilty of murder and attempted murder.

The State earlier brought an application before the court for Maarohanye and Tshabalala to be remanded in custody.

"After conviction the witness is expected to address your worship thoroughly on sentencing," State prosecutor Raymond Mathenjwa told the Protea Magistrate's Court.

"We can't do it today [Tuesday]... We ask that we adjourn to November 30 for sentencing. The accused were convicted of a schedule six offence and we request that they be remanded in custody."

Guilty of racing on a public road

Maarohanye and Tshabalala were both found guilty on four counts of murder and two of attempted murder.

"The State managed to prove beyond reasonable doubt... that the accused are guilty on four counts of murder... [and] two counts of attempted murder," said Magistrate Brian Nemavhidi.

He also convicted them of racing on a public road and driving while under the influence of drugs.

"The death of the deceased occurred as a result of the driving of those vehicles and as such the accused are convicted of driving their vehicles while under the influence of drugs," he said.

The court had to be called to order as the magistrate delivered his judgment.

Woman faints in court

Besides looking around to his family once, Maarohanye showed little emotion, as did Tshabalala.
The families of the victims could not control their emotions.

One woman was carried out after fainting and a court official passed water around.

The court had to silence the families and friends of the schoolchildren when their loud groans signalled their objection to the State's request that sentence only be passed on November 30.

Mathenjwa said he needed time to prepare his appeal for mitigating circumstances as he had no previous indication of what judgment should be passed.

Responding to the State's request for remanding Tshababala and Maarohanye in custody, he said: "Bail ended at the time the court announced its finding." Sentencing would take place on November 30.

- SAPA