THE boxing career of former SA featherweight champion Sabelo Jubatha hangs in the balance after he allegedly assaulted his wife, a police officer and an inmate.
The assaults are alleged to have taken place after his imprisonment at Mdantsane Prison in November last year.
The 32-year-old is now back in jail awaiting a court appearance in the East London Magistrate’s court on Friday week.
A previous 15-year conviction for rape, for which he received parole in 2007 after serving seven years, will likely be added if he is found guilty of domestic violence and assault.
Jubatha, who was a devastating knockout artist in the ring, having floored seven of 10 opponents with just two losses, allegedly assaulted his wife at their home in Scenery Park on November 21.
Police were called and during the arrest he allegedly unleashed a fearsome right which knocked one of the officers senseless.
Police spokesman Captain Stephen Marais confirmed that a case of assault and domestic violence had been opened against the boxer.
Marais said the assaulted police officer had since made a full recovery.
“We can confirm that Mr Jubatha assaulted one of the arresting police officers and that the officer in question required treatment after the incident,” said Marais.
Jubatha was subsequently arrested and taken to Mdantsane Prison, where he allegedly became embroiled in a quarrel with an inmate.
He is then alleged to have hit the inmate so hard the punch dislocated the inmate’s neck as he fell.
Provincial department of correctional services spokeswoman Nobuntu Gantana said the inmate later complained of a sore neck and had to receive treatment.
“We don’t have details of the incident but we can confirm that the inmate laid a charge of assault and was subsequently treated for a painful neck,” she said.
The inmate later complained of being unable to breathe, leading to further treatment.
Gantana added that Jubatha’s arrest was in violation of his parole conditions.
“He had 411 parole days left and now his re-arrest might mean it will be revoked but we cannot pre-empt the court hearing ,” she said.
Jubatha had been a shining example of triumph over adversity after he appeared to have turned his life around following his lengthy prison term.
While he used boxing to make a living, he chose to brawl rather than conform to the finer points of the sport.
In his second title-winning fight against Simpiwe Tom, he mercilessly battered Tom, leaving him unconscious after four brutal rounds in their fight at East London’s Orient Theatre in December 2011.
The fight was preceded by a bitter feud between the opposing camps after Jubatha was dubiously stripped of his title.
It was a move that nearly drove him off the rails.
One of his handlers at Sisonke Boxing Club, Vido Mtekwana, said the fighter could not deal with Boxing SA’s decision to strip him of the title.
“He would ask us why his title was taken away from him and we could not provide him with satisfactory answers because we did not understand it either,” Mtekwana then said.
Jubatha eventually regained the title via another brutal victory over Tom – but he lost it after a stunning seventh round stoppage defeat to Limpopo’s Sydney Maluleka in September.
According to insiders, he could not deal with the loss of the title as it meant he could not feed his family.
“He became a violent person again and believed that everyone was out to get him,” one source said.
Siphatho Handi, who serves as both the fighter’s promoter and manager, said the camp had hired a lawyer to represent Jubatha at the trial.
Handi, who has a legal background, refused to comment further, saying the case was still sub judice. —
Prize boxer KO’s police officer
The assaults are alleged to have taken place after his imprisonment at Mdantsane Prison in November last year.
The 32-year-old is now back in jail awaiting a court appearance in the East London Magistrate’s court on Friday week.
A previous 15-year conviction for rape, for which he received parole in 2007 after serving seven years, will likely be added if he is found guilty of domestic violence and assault.
Jubatha, who was a devastating knockout artist in the ring, having floored seven of 10 opponents with just two losses, allegedly assaulted his wife at their home in Scenery Park on November 21.
Police were called and during the arrest he allegedly unleashed a fearsome right which knocked one of the officers senseless.
Police spokesman Captain Stephen Marais confirmed that a case of assault and domestic violence had been opened against the boxer.
Marais said the assaulted police officer had since made a full recovery.
“We can confirm that Mr Jubatha assaulted one of the arresting police officers and that the officer in question required treatment after the incident,” said Marais.
Jubatha was subsequently arrested and taken to Mdantsane Prison, where he allegedly became embroiled in a quarrel with an inmate.
He is then alleged to have hit the inmate so hard the punch dislocated the inmate’s neck as he fell.
Provincial department of correctional services spokeswoman Nobuntu Gantana said the inmate later complained of a sore neck and had to receive treatment.
“We don’t have details of the incident but we can confirm that the inmate laid a charge of assault and was subsequently treated for a painful neck,” she said.
The inmate later complained of being unable to breathe, leading to further treatment.
Gantana added that Jubatha’s arrest was in violation of his parole conditions.
“He had 411 parole days left and now his re-arrest might mean it will be revoked but we cannot pre-empt the court hearing ,” she said.
Jubatha had been a shining example of triumph over adversity after he appeared to have turned his life around following his lengthy prison term.
While he used boxing to make a living, he chose to brawl rather than conform to the finer points of the sport.
In his second title-winning fight against Simpiwe Tom, he mercilessly battered Tom, leaving him unconscious after four brutal rounds in their fight at East London’s Orient Theatre in December 2011.
The fight was preceded by a bitter feud between the opposing camps after Jubatha was dubiously stripped of his title.
It was a move that nearly drove him off the rails.
One of his handlers at Sisonke Boxing Club, Vido Mtekwana, said the fighter could not deal with Boxing SA’s decision to strip him of the title.
“He would ask us why his title was taken away from him and we could not provide him with satisfactory answers because we did not understand it either,” Mtekwana then said.
Jubatha eventually regained the title via another brutal victory over Tom – but he lost it after a stunning seventh round stoppage defeat to Limpopo’s Sydney Maluleka in September.
According to insiders, he could not deal with the loss of the title as it meant he could not feed his family.
“He became a violent person again and believed that everyone was out to get him,” one source said.
Siphatho Handi, who serves as both the fighter’s promoter and manager, said the camp had hired a lawyer to represent Jubatha at the trial.
Handi, who has a legal background, refused to comment further, saying the case was still sub judice. —
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