Lawyer, expert at odds in Jub Jub trial
2011-10-12 16:31
Johannesburg - An accident reconstruction expert in the murder trial of Molemo "Jub Jub" Maarohanye and Themba Tshabalala is a mere "traffic cop", the Protea Magistrate's Court heard on Wednesday.
Defence lawyer Ike Motloung questioned the credibility of Renier Balt in his cross-examination, leading to a heated exchange between the two.
"I put it to you, you are a traffic cop," Motloung told Balt.
"I'm not a traffic cop," Balt responded.
"You worked as a traffic cop before," Motloung said.
"A traffic officer," Balt chipped in.
"You worked as a traffic officer and went to Chicago. Now you regard yourself as an expert," said Motloung.
Motloung had been critical of Balt's qualifications in accident reconstruction and at one stage called him a "half-expert".
Maarohanye and Tshabalala face charges of murder, attempted murder and driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
They were allegedly drag racing when one of their cars ploughed into a group of children on Mdlalose Road in Protea North, Soweto, on March 8, 2010, killing four boys and injuring two.
He said Balt had made many mistakes in reconstructing the accident.
He told the court that it was fundamentally wrong for Balt to assume that the two Mini Coopers had not collided, when it was evident in court that they had.
He said Balt did not reconstruct the accident, but used information he was given and photographs for his report.
"We all know Mdlalose is a public road. This is not reconstruction. There is nothing expert about this," Motloung said.
Balt, in his report before court, concluded there was no contact between the two Minis, and that the cars were travelling in a single file at the time of the accident.
The trial continues.
- SAPA
