South African rapper AKA denies that he is being investigated over the death of his fiancé Anele “Nellie” Tembe.
Nellie died in an alleged suicide after falling out of a window at Cape Town’s Pepperclub Hotel on the 11th of April 2021. She was laid to rest on the 16th of April after a somber funeral at the Durban International Convention Center.
The images going around on social media suggest that Tembe and AKA’s relationship was marred with violence as well as drug abuse. It is also alleged that the late Nellie was depressed and suicidal.
An image of the rapper allegedly breaking through a door to get to a “hiding” Tembe earlier this year has sparked rumours that he may have had a malicious hand in the 22-year-old’s tragic death.
In a statement released on AKA’s social media pages, allegations against the rapper were denied, and he said that he is still coming to terms with the loss of a girl he remains deeply in love with.
“It is a sad day when I find myself having to speak to the nature of my relationship with Anele. What makes it even sadder is the knowledge that some of the people, she and I loved and entrusted with our deepest troubles, are now using those as weapons to set a negative narrative on my character,” he said in the statement on Saturday (08.05.21) evening.
Describing himself as a “passionate and emotional” person, AKA insisted that he will not stand for attempts to bring his name into disrepute. “What I will not do and stand for is watching people attempt to disparage my name and importantly, Anele’s character, to suit a narrative we both never signed up for,” he said.
AKA aged 33 insisted that the couple, who became engaged in February 2021 enjoyed a “beautiful yet challenging” relationship that was not immune to the turbulence experienced in many people’s lives.
The statement read in part, “As numb as I was at Anele’s funeral, I took in every word imparted, the direct ones and all those filled with innuendos. I will not be a part of speaking on or exposing our troubles as a couple, to defend myself from one-sided views that are portrayed out of their full context.”
“Every story has two sides and so does every video, image and message.I am fully aware of who the ‘sources’ engaging media are and what their intention is, which is to influence the SAPS inquest – which the investigating officer has stated numerous times to my legal team and to them, that I Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, have not been named to be a suspect, but have been nothing but a cooperating witness,” clarified AKA.
He concluded by saying that he “was and still am madly in love” with Tembe, “carrying whatever past traumas she faced before I met her.”
AKA who is known for his hits like ‘Congratulate’ and ‘All Eyes On Me’ took a break from social media to mourn the death of his lover whilst rumours continued to swirl about the death of the 22-year-old social butterfly.
AKA has a daughter named Kairo with his on and off girlfriend Dj Zinhle. He also dated Media personality and reality star Bonang Matheba.
