One year after the tragic murders of renowned South African rapper Kiernan Forbes, famously known as AKA, and his close associate, celebrity chef and entrepreneur Tebello “Tibz” Motshoane, six suspects have been apprehended.
The ‘Congratulate’ hitmaker tragically lost his life at the age of 35 after he was gunned down outside of a popular night spot on Durban’s Florida Road on Friday (02.10. 2023) night.
Authorities disclosed that hitmen were hired to target AKA, but the motive behind the killings remains undisclosed.
According to a report by BBC, AKA, known for his chart-topping hits, was evidently under surveillance, with Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, affirming during a press briefing that Tibz was not the intended victim.
“We know they were paid for this,” Lt Gen Mkhwanazi stated, shedding light on the roles of the six accused individuals in the orchestrated attack. The suspects, all below the age of 36, held various responsibilities within the plot, ranging from executing the gunfire to tracking AKA’s movements from the airport. Additionally, one suspect was identified as the mastermind, with others involved in procuring the firearms used in the assault.
ALSO READ:
Furthermore, it was revealed that some of the detained suspects have ties to unrelated murder cases, amplifying the gravity of their alleged criminal activities. Two of the accused were apprehended in Eswatini after Interpol conducted a raid over the weekend. Plans are underway to extradite them to face charges in South Africa.
Despite progress in the investigation, a seventh suspect remains at large, potentially alerted by media reports surrounding the arrests. Exhibits seized during the operations include vehicles, firearms linked to the murders, and spent cartridges, providing critical evidence for the case.