Six individuals have been apprehended in connection with the homicides of renowned South African rapper Kiernan Forbes, widely known as AKA, and his close associate, celebrity chef and entrepreneur Tebello “Tibz” Motshoane.
The two were fatally shot outside a restaurant in Durban a year ago, a shocking incident that reverberated across South Africa. Although the police disclosed that hitmen were paid to target AKA, no motive was revealed.
During his career, AKA achieved success with several hits, collaborating with Nigerian artist Burna Boy among others. The suspects, all under the age of 36, are scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, stated in a Tuesday night press briefing that it was evident AKA was monitored from the airport, and Tibz was an unintended victim in the murder on Florida Road in Durban. The six accused individuals played various roles in the plot to kill AKA.
The arrested suspects include two gunmen who fired multiple rounds at the victims, two spotters who trailed AKA from Durban’s airport, someone responsible for procuring the firearms used in the ambush, and the mastermind. Some suspects are also implicated in unrelated murder cases.
Interpol, in a weekend raid, located two of the men in a hideout in neighboring Eswatini. They appeared in a magistrate’s court in Eswatini on Tuesday, with plans underway to extradite them to face murder charges in South Africa.
Lt Gen Mkhwanazi mentioned that local media reports may have alerted a seventh suspect, who is currently evading capture. Recovered exhibits include four vehicles, firearms linked to the murders of AKA and Motshoane, and empty cartridges.
Police Minister Bheki Cele acknowledged the disturbing impact of the killings, captured on CCTV cameras, on the nation with one of the highest murder rates globally. “I hope South Africans will sleep better after this,” he expressed.
AKA, who began his musical journey as part of the rap group Entity before a successful solo career, received numerous awards in South Africa and international recognition with BET and MTV Europe nominations. He posthumously received an honor at the BET Hip Hop Awards last year.
