Students protest bail appearance for South African hip-hop artist accused in fatal drag race

Students protest bail for SAfrican hip-hop artist

JOHANNESBURG — Police used rubber bullets and water cannons Wednesday to disperse thousands of high school students protesting a bail hearing for a South African hip-hop artist accused of killing four children while drag racing on drugs.

Molemo Maarohanye — who is known as “Jub Jub,” which means Marshmallow — faces four murder charges and two charges of attempted murder along with co-defendant Themba Tshabalala. Authorities say the children were run down by a Mini Cooper but it is unknown who was driving the vehicle at the time.

The case has prompted an outcry in South Africa, and some 2,000 rioting youths and children, many in school uniform, gathered outside the courthouse Wednesday.

Some threatened to use mob justice if the hip-hop artist is granted bail.

Rioters hurled bricks and stones at police and chanted calls to kill the musician and Tshabalala because “they killed our friends.”

No serious casualties were reported in the disturbances; three people were taken into police custody.

A decision on whether to release Maarohanye on bail was postponed until Thursday.

Defense lawyer Ike Motloung said allegations that the two men had been drag racing before the crash came from the media, the South African Press Association reported. Motloung also asked during the hearing whether the hip-hop artist’s popularity had influenced the case.

Authorities say both of the defendants tested positive for cocaine and morphine.

Maarohanye, who also appeared on South Africa’s version of “Survivor” earlier this year, was arrested last week after the six children were run down. Two of the children remain in critical condition.