Molemo 'Jub Jub' Maarohanye is at home and will be spending 2017 as a free man. The South African singer and his friend Themba Tshabalala were released on parole Thursday after spending four out of eight years in prison. They were convicted in 2012 for killing four children while drag racing in Protea Glen while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Two other children were left with permanent brain damage.
What was initially a 20-year prison sentence for murder, was overturned by the South Gauteng High Court to a charge of culpable homicide with only eight years to serve.
The two have been released into the custody of their families. The Department of Correctional Services says they will still do the rest of their time through community service and will be under supervision until the end of the sentence.
Move Magazine reported in its 15 December issue that the families of the children Maarohanye and Tshabalala killed had forgiven them. Some of the families were involved in the parole hearings and it is unclear if all of them have forgiven the two.
Some accepted the families' decision and wished the pair well.
Others disagreed with the decision to parole them and said they hoped the experience had changed them for the better.
There were also those who are looking forward to Jub Jub's return to the music scene.
Twitter user @Ckabopha provided a sobering reminder of what prison is for.
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