Maarohanye said yesterday that he “could not make sense of evidence that cocaine and morphine were (detected) in his system” after the accident. He had said in his evidence in chief that he knew that the music industry was rife with drug abuse but had never seen anyone consume cocaine except in the movies.
But yesterday Maarohanye admitted “Yes, I have been around and seen people take cocaine.”
Prosecutor Raymond Mathenjwa challenged him: “Why then did you say in your evidence that you have never seen anyone taking drug?.”
Maarohanye replied: “I don’t know.”
The hip-hop artist and Themba Tshabalala are on trial on four counts of murder, two of attempted murder, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and reckless and negligent driving.
They are alleged to have drag-raced their Mini Coopers while high and drunk on Mdlalose Street in Protea, Soweto, on March 8 2010.
Yesterday, Maarohanye told the court he was on depression medication at the time of the accident and that would explain the codeine in his system.
Mathenjwa asked if he was sharing his medication with Tshabalala because the same substance was found in his blood.
“No. That shows it is highly likely that our samples were tampered with,” he said.
Substances found in his blood and urine were cocaine, morphine, paracetamol, doxylamine, tobacco and caffeine.
He said that he too was a victim in the accident and maintains that everyone who has testified in the murder trial lied about him.
“I can’t explain why witnesses lied about me but still wanted my autograph.”
Maarahanye refused to respond when Mathenjwa put it to him that he had said that Tshabalala offered to lead the way. “You said that Tshabalala said ‘I’ll show you where Chicken Licken and BP is, I’ll lead you’.”
Maarohanye responded: “I said, he said: ‘I’ll show you.'”
Mathenjwa said: “The record will show that you said lead.”
Maarohanye also changed his stance from being definite that he was pulled from his Mini Cooper’s sunroof to not being sure if he was pulled from the sunroof or the window. “But you were specific,” said Mathenjwa.
“I don’t know,” said Maarahonye. He also said Tshabalala was always driving behind him but when asked about the video shown in court that shows the two cars driving side by side, Maarohanye agreed: “That is what the video shows”.
The trial continues today.
