Search
Close this search box.

10-Year-Old Witness Testifies in Rape Trial of Nicki MInaj’s Brother

Jelani Maraj
Jelani Maraj

*A 10-year-old boy who walked in on the alleged rape of his sister by the brother of Nicki Minaj has testified that he knew what he had witnessed “wasn’t right,” but was threatened to keep his mouth shut, according to the New York Post.

The young witness, sporting a black tuxedo and clutching a yellow star-shaped toy, gave testimony in Jelani Maraj’s rape trial in Nassau County Supreme Court on Monday. As his family members quietly shed tears in the gallery, according to the Post, the boy told jurors in detail what he saw in a basement bedroom in 2015.

Via New York Post:

“What happened was I was looking for [her],” the boy said, referring to his then-11-year-old sister, who has accused Maraj, their stepdad, of repeatedly raping her. “My pencil broke and I didn’t have any others.”

The boy, who was 8 at the time, said his sister’s pants were “around her ankles.”

“I saw his underwear close to his knees,” he testified about Maraj.

Asked by prosecutors what happened next, he quietly said, “I thought it wasn’t right. It looked weird to me, so I ran upstairs.”

Maraj, the boy testified, later found him and slapped him in the face “about 10 times.”

“He asked me if I had seen anything. I said, ‘Yes,’ ” the boy said. “He slapped me on the cheek.”

Maraj then allegedly used the boy’s mother, Jacqueline Robinson, to threaten the boy into silence. At the time, Maraj was married to Robinson.

“Jelani said I wouldn’t see her again if I told on him,” he said. “His face was kind of mad.”

The boy, whose bedroom was next to his sister’s, also told jurors he’d sometimes hear his door suddenly close at night — and then his sister’s bed creaking.

Defense lawyer David Schwartz tried to poke holes in the little boy’s testimony by getting him to admit the lights were off when he walked in on the alleged rape.

“You would agree that when the light is not on, the room is very dark?” Schwartz asked.

“Yes,” the boy answered.

Prosecutors allege Maraj had sex with the young girl, now 14, as often as four times a week. A doctor testified last week that the girl’s medical records strongly suggest she was having sex.

“I can say with a reasonable degree of certainty that [the girl’s] medical exam can prove penetration,” said Dr. Aaron Miller after reviewing photos.

Prosecutors said Maraj’s DNA was found on a pair of the girl’s pajama pants.

The defense has claimed the allegations were concocted by Robinson in a $25 million extortion plot against Minaj, who is expected to testify on her sibling’s behalf. Minaj posted her brother’s $100,000 bond when he was arrested in December 2015.

We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!

Nochebuena screenshot
Whoopi Goldberg and Charlamagne Tha God on The View
Dollar Tree - Depositphotos
Usher (Rich Fury-Getty Images)
Brian Thompson and killer
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season
Beyoncé, left, attended Taylor Swift's premiere of her Eras tour movie at the Grove oin LA on Wednesday (10-11-23) - Getty
Village People and Donald Trump
Tim Scott and Byron Donalds
Stephen A. Smith - Getty
Larenz Tate - via STARZ
Read More
Quincy Jones
Read More
ZATIMA key art
Read More
Kamala Harris at CNN Town Hall - Getty
Read More
Kendrick Lamar - Lil Wayne (Getty)
Read More
Donald Trump with bruises on hands - via X
Read More
Lizzo (after weight loss) - via Instagram
Read More
T.D. Jakes
Read More
Gail Bean and Taye Diggs composite
Read More
Jay-Z & Jack Dorsey - screenshot
Read More

POPULAR

Nochebuena screenshot
Exclusive Clip of AspireTV's New Latinx Holiday Film 'Nochebuena'
Whoopi Goldberg and Charlamagne Tha God on The View
Heated Debate on 'The View': Whoopi Goldberg and Charlamagne tha God Go at it Over Biden’s Pardons | WATCH
Dollar Tree - Depositphotos
Dollar Tree May Stop Selling Some Products or Raise Prices Because of Trump’s Tariffs | VIDEO
Usher (Rich Fury-Getty Images)
Usher, Jermaine Dupri, Akon Offer Exclusives in ASCAP Holiday Auction
Brian Thompson and killer
Gunman Uses Silencer in Fatal Shooting of UnitedHealth Group CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan | WATCH-it-Happen!
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season
'RuPaul’s Drag Race' Season 17 Cast Revealed | Video
Beyoncé, left, attended Taylor Swift's premiere of her Eras tour movie at the Grove oin LA on Wednesday (10-11-23) - Getty
Taylor Swift 'Happy' Beyoncé Crowned Greatest Pop Star of 21st Century + 'Cowboy Carter' Art Book Sells Out Instantly
Village People and Donald Trump
Village People Singer Says 'YMCA' Not a 'Gay Anthem' and Defends Trump’s Use of Song
Tim Scott and Byron Donalds
All That Shilling and Sucking Up to Trump = No Payoff for Tim Scott and Byron Donalds in Administration - D.L. Hughley Has Thoughts | VIDEO
1 2 3 8,431