Dudu Busani
Dudu Busani
One of the three men on trial for the murder of reggae star Lucky Dube claimed yesterday that he did not know that the other two suspects hijacked vehicles for a living.
Mbuti Mabe said in a statement read by Captain Kgomo Moloko in the Johannesburg high court yesterday that he met the men for the first time on the day Dube was killed.
He is standing trial with Sifiso Mhlanga and Julius Gxowa. Dube was killed in October 2007.
Mabe earlier tried to have the statement dismissed as inadmissible evidence in the trial, claiming the police assaulted him severely before it was taken and he ended up saying things he knew nothing about.
However, Judge Seun Moshidi ruled the statement was admissible.
Mabe said his role in the incident was to drive the getaway car.
He said he and co-accused Mhlanga and Gxowa drove around Rosettenville with Thabo (Tebogo) Maruping, a former suspect who later turned state witness.
"When we saw a car parked, Sifiso and Tebogo told me to drive towards it. The three jumped out of the car and ran to the parked car. There were two people inside it.
"I heard gunshots, saw the car driving off and them running back to our car. They got in and I drove to Spruitview," Mabe said.
'I did not know suspects hijacked for living'
Dudu Busani
Dudu Busani
One of the three men on trial for the murder of reggae star Lucky Dube claimed yesterday that he did not know that the other two suspects hijacked vehicles for a living.
Mbuti Mabe said in a statement read by Captain Kgomo Moloko in the Johannesburg high court yesterday that he met the men for the first time on the day Dube was killed.
He is standing trial with Sifiso Mhlanga and Julius Gxowa. Dube was killed in October 2007.
Mabe earlier tried to have the statement dismissed as inadmissible evidence in the trial, claiming the police assaulted him severely before it was taken and he ended up saying things he knew nothing about.
However, Judge Seun Moshidi ruled the statement was admissible.
Mabe said his role in the incident was to drive the getaway car.
He said he and co-accused Mhlanga and Gxowa drove around Rosettenville with Thabo (Tebogo) Maruping, a former suspect who later turned state witness.
"When we saw a car parked, Sifiso and Tebogo told me to drive towards it. The three jumped out of the car and ran to the parked car. There were two people inside it.
"I heard gunshots, saw the car driving off and them running back to our car. They got in and I drove to Spruitview," Mabe said.
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