AKA Murder: Seven Suspects Arrested
Seven suspects have been apprehended in connection with the tragic murders of the renowned South African rapper Kiernan Forbes, widely known as AKA, and his close associate, celebrity chef and entrepreneur Tebello “Tibz” Motshoane.
The pair was fatally shot outside a restaurant in Durban a year ago, a shocking incident that deeply unsettled the South African community.
Authorities disclosed that assassins were hired to target AKA, although the motive behind the killings remains undisclosed.
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Throughout his career, AKA produced a series of chart-topping hits, collaborating notably with Nigeria’s Burna Boy.
The suspects, all under the age of 36, are scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
“It was clear that AKA was monitored from the airport and Tibz was not the intended target in the murder on Florida Road in Durban,” Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, said in a press briefing on Tuesday night.
“We know they were paid for this,” Lt Gen Mkwananzi added.
He indicated that the accused individuals assumed various roles in the conspiracy to assassinate AKA.
Among the suspects currently in custody are two gunmen who discharged multiple rounds at the victims, three spotters who trailed AKA from Durban’s airport, an individual responsible for procuring the firearms utilized in the ambush, and the mastermind behind the scheme.
Additionally, some of the suspects have been implicated in unrelated murder cases.
The police revealed the apprehension of six suspects on Tuesday evening, with a seventh suspect detained on Wednesday morning, as reported by the BBC.
According to Police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda, the seventh individual, a 30-year-old South African citizen originally from KwaZulu-Natal province, is believed to have served as a spotter.
Following a raid conducted by Interpol over the weekend, the two alleged gunmen were discovered in a hideout in neighboring Eswatini. They appeared in a magistrate’s court in Eswatini on Tuesday, with plans in progress to extradite them to South Africa to face murder charges.
During the arrests, authorities seized four vehicles, firearms linked to the murders of AKA and Motshoane, and empty cartridges as exhibits.
Police Minister Bheki Cele acknowledged the profound impact of the killings of AKA and his friend, captured on CCTV cameras, on the populace of the country, which grapples with one of the highest murder rates globally.
“I hope South Africans will sleep better after this,” he said.
Reflecting on the motive that minister said it will “come out in court”.
“We are all interested to know what the motive was. It is very clear that it was not a case of someone waking up in the morning angry. You can see that in the build-up and co-ordination.”