It’s indeed almost 18 years since his passing. Let’s take a walk down memory lane and remember his life, music, and legacy. Let’s revisit the court process surrounding his case.
October 18, 2007, he was shot and killed in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, during a botched hijacking attempt ¹. What’s chilling is that the alleged killers returned to the scene about an hour after the shooting to see if anyone recognized them. They didn’t even know they had just killed a legendary musician, mistaking him for a Nigerian.
The trial began in 2008, with five men accused of Lucky Dube’s murder:
- Sifiso Mhlanga
- Julius Gxowa
- Mbuti Mabe
- Thabo Maruping (initially charged, but later turned state witness)
- Jermaan Matthews (acquitted due to lack of evidence)
The prosecution presented evidence, including testimony from Thabo Maruping’s wife, Mpho Maruping, who implicated the accused.
In 2009, the Johannesburg High Court delivered its verdict:
- Sifiso Mhlanga, Julius Gxowa, and Mbuti Mabe were found guilty of murder, robbery, and attempted robbery.
- The three convicted men were sentenced to life imprisonment.
The trial that followed revealed more disturbing details. State witness Mpho Maruping, wife of Thabo Maruping (initially charged with Dube’s murder but later turned state witness), testified that her husband and three other men were involved in the hijacking attempt. They had been searching for a Chrysler to hijack, and when they found Dube’s car, they pounced. Two shots were fired, and Dube crashed his car into a tree, dying on the spot.
The motive behind the hijacking was to steal Dube’s Chrysler 300C. The perpetrators didn’t recognize the renowned musician, and their actions were driven by a desire for material gain. The case highlighted the senseless violence and crime that plagued South Africa at the time. TV10 is still bringing details.
Lucky Dube’s legacy lives on, and his music continues to inspire and uplift people around the world.
