By EDN Reporter
More than a year since the murder of Hip Hop artist Kiernan Forbes, better known as AKA and his friend Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane, police have made a breakthrough and made arrests.
South Africa’s Police Minister Bheki Cele announced on Tuesday night that six men, some of whom were recently arrested in Eswatini, have been arrested in connection with the murder of AKA who was shot dead outside a Florida Road restaurant in February 2023.
The suspects are due to appear in court on Thursday.
The announcement was made by the police top brass including Cele, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola and KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi at the SA Police Services provincial headquarters in Durban.
Mkhwanazi has led a team of highly skilled police investigators who have been probing the suspected assassination of the celebrated and multi-award-winning rapper.
Forbes was gunned down in Durban’s Florida Road on February 10, 2023, as he was leaving the Wish Restaurant. His friend, celebrity chef Motsoane was also murdered.
Cele said the first suspect was apprehended in April last year. Police management said two of the suspects were brothers from Durban, who were also linked to the murders of Mntimande Kunene, Nhlanhla Ngcobo and Zamokuhle Mkhwanazi-Ngcobo, murders which took place in eManzimtoti and Berea respectively.
ALSO READ: Entertainment industry on road to recovery
Mkhwanazi said the six men arrested included the mastermind, the spotter and the shooter. He said the suspects were linked to the murder through vehicles and ballistics. He said some of the cars were rented for the commission of the crime.
The Royal Eswatini Police also confirmed that they are currently working on the extradition of the two suspects in the murder case who were arrested in Eswatini.
Deputy Information Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni of the Royal Eswatini Police confirmed this on Tuesday.
Mnguni stated that the three brothers, Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande who are from South Africa, were arrested in connection with five murders, including the murder of AKA.
She said the extradition process is underway to return them to South Africa, where the crimes were allegedly committed.
“The extradition process is a lengthy one, but the Eswatini police and the South African Police Service (SAPS) are working diligently to expedite it so that the suspects can face trial in their home country,” she said.
The two brothers made their initial court appearance at the Manzini Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
They were charged with five counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
According to the charge sheet, the first count accuses them of the murder of Kiernan Jarred Forbes on February 10, 2023, near Wish restaurant in Durban, KwaZulu Natal.
