AKA’s killers known to police as government ‘prepared’ to oppose Dr Nandipha appeal

The suspects behind the murder of Kiernan Forbes, also known as AKA, could soon be arrested.

This is according to national police commissioner Fannie Masemola.

Speaking at the launch of Operation Shanela in the North West on Friday, Masemola told the media that the police would soon make a breakthrough on the late musician’s murder.

“We know who we are looking for, it is a matter of just rounding all of them. We know exactly who we are looking for, that I can assure you, we know where we are going,” he said.

In March, the South African Police Service (Saps) had arrested four suspects, three of which were released after being held in police custody for more than 48 hours.

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The three men, who were linked to a hijacking case, were released after their Crime Administration System (CAS) numbers was invalid.

The fourth suspect, Siphamandla Ngcobo, appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court for alleged robbery with aggravated circumstances committed.

Forbes was gunned down outside a restaurant on Florida Road in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) almost five months ago.

His friend and a celebrity chef, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, was also shot and killed during the incident.

CCTV footage showed Forbes hugging Motsoane outside the restaurant when two gunmen moments later walked from the side of a vehicle parked and shot at the rapper and his friend.

Thabo Bester escape

Meanwhile, Masemola confirmed that there were no new arrests in connection to the prison escape of convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester.

“We are still investigating the matter and we would expect to have further arrests in that regard because there’s quite a lot of people that were involved in [the case]. It is quite a wide investigation. We are busy with that.”

On the death of the senior investigator in the Bester case, the police commissioner indicated that there was no foul play involved.

“The investigating officer, Brigadier [Jackson] Mkhaulesi, said that at the moment the preliminary investigations are that there was no foul play… the member committed suicide.”

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Masemola also spoke to the appeal launched by Bester’s partner, Dr Nandipha Magudumana.

The Bloemfontein High Court this week dismissed Magudumana’s urgent application challenging her “unlawful” arrest in Tanzania.

“Magumana has the right to appeal but indeed we are prepared to defend our case. We think what the Department of Home Affairs did in bringing them back into the country [was legal],” the police commissioner said on Friday.

He insisted there was “no illegality in the role played by all government departments”.

“[Magudumana] was never arrested in Tanzania… she was only arrested in South Africa hence as the Saps, we were never involved in transporting and receiving [her and] Thabo Bester.

“It was the Tanzanian authorities that declared [them] prohibited in their country. [Tanzania] used their laws to deport them back to their country, South Africa. They were received by those responsible for our country’s population register, the Home Affairs,” Masemola added.