Over two years since the high-profile killings of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and celebrity chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, the murder case has finally reached the High Court.
The pair were gunned down on Durban’s Florida Road in February 2023, moments after sharing a warm embrace outside a popular restaurant. The shocking assassinations stunned the nation and left fans demanding justice.
It took police just over a year to announce major breakthroughs in the investigation, which has now resulted in seven suspects being charged. Five of those accused — Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi, Lindani Ndimande, Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Gwabeni, and another Lindokuhle Ndimande — are expected to appear in the dock for a pre-trial conference.
In 2024, all five spent nearly three months fighting for bail but were ultimately unsuccessful. In a renewed bid for release earlier this year, Gwabeni and one of the Ndimande brothers approached the court again — only to be denied by Magistrate Vincent Hlatshwayo, who ruled that their application presented no new facts. This followed an earlier failed appeal in the High Court.
During the bail proceedings, prosecutors laid out key elements of their case, including CCTV footage that allegedly traces AKA’s movements from the airport to his hotel, and finally to the restaurant where he was killed.
Legal experts caution that despite the case reaching the High Court, formal proceedings may still be delayed as the court works through pre-trial logistics.