Authorities have made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the murders of South African rapper Kiernan Forbes, popularly known as AKA, and his close friend Tebello “Tibz” Motshoane, with the arrest of six suspects.
The tragic incident, which occurred a year ago outside a restaurant in Durban, shocked the nation. Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, revealed that hitmen were paid to target AKA, although the motive behind the attack remains undisclosed.
Addressing the press on Tuesday night, Lt Gen Mkhwanazi stated, “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.” He further disclosed, “We know they were paid for this.”
According to Lt Gen Mkhwanazi, the six accused individuals played various roles in the plot to assassinate AKA, with some of them linked to other murder cases. Exhibits recovered during the arrests included four vehicles, firearms associated with the murders of AKA and Motshoane, and empty cartridges.
All suspects, aged below 36, are scheduled to appear in court by Thursday.
Minister of Police Bheki Cele expressed relief at the progress made in solving the case, acknowledging the disturbance caused by the killings, which were captured on CCTV cameras. “I hope South Africans will sleep better after this,” he remarked.
He emphasized the importance of understanding the motive behind the murders, highlighting the orchestrated nature of the attack. “It is very clear that it was not a case of someone waking up angry in the morning. You can see that in the build-up and coordination,” Cele added.
AKA, known for his contributions to the music industry both locally and internationally, began his career as part of the rap group Entity before embarking on a successful solo journey, earning numerous awards and accolades along the way.
