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‘Who paid them to kill my son?’ – AKA’s father believes mastermind hasn’t been caught
AKA was gunned down outside a restaurant in Durban last year.
Tony Forbes briefs media in Johannesburg on 14 February 2023. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
The father of the late musician, Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, has expressed doubt that all the people allegedly responsible for his son’s death have been apprehended.
Five of the seven men, including the alleged mastermind, charged with the double murder of Forbes and his friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court for the first time on Thursday.
Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, 30; Lindani Ndimande, 35; Siyanda Myeza, 21; Mziwethemba Gwabeni, 36; and Lindokuhle Ndimande, 29, are facing 10 charges including conspiracy to commit murder, murder, attempted murder as well as the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
Two others were arrested in eSwatini over the weekend.
The process of having the suspects extradited back to South Africa has already started.
‘Where did that money come from?’ – AKA’s dad
Speaking to the media in court, AKA’s father, Tony Forbes, said he believed the true mastermind behind the murders of his son and Motsoane has not been caught.
“I don’t think the [KZN police] commissioner [Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi] was referring to the true mastermind… I think he was referring to the coordinator. So the coordinator, if I understand things correctly, received a sum of money and shared it with six other people.
“Where did that money come from? If [the money] came from the banking system then the police should be able to pick up the trail and find out where it came from and continue the investigation from there.
“Is this the true mastermind? My gut feeling says no, but I haven’t done the investigations. I’m speculating,” he told reporters.
ALSO READ: ‘It took resources’: AKA murder was a ‘well-funded’ hit, says slain rapper’s dad
Forbes and Motsoane were gunned down outside the now-defunct Wish on Florida restaurant in Durban, on 10 February 2023.
According to the police, Forbes was the main target of the alleged hit, while Motsoane was shot by coincidence.
The suspects all played different roles in the operation. It has been reported that R800 000 was allegedly paid and shared between those involved.
Regarding the extradition of the two remaining suspects potentially delaying the case, Tony said the Forbes family had been made aware “from the beginning” about the complexity of the process.
“I didn’t think or expect that it was going to be quick,” he said.
Extradition
Meanwhile, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the Department of Justice was handling the extradition process rather than the South African Police Service (Saps).
“I know that the Minister of Justice had already contacted [his counterpart] on the other side but… it is out of the police’s hands,” he told reporters.
Cele highlighted the Department of Home Affairs could also be involved in the process, citing the extradition of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester and his girlfriend, Nandipha Magudumana from Tanzania.
Tanzania authorities had handed the pair over to Home Affairs officials.
“By law, you don’t hand [people] over to the police, you hand them over to immigration if that person has cross the border illegally,” he explained.
READ MORE: No one ever prepares for loss, ‘but I understood the assignment’ – Lynn Forbes on AKA’s passing
The minister seemingly dismissed claims that the suspects fled to eSwatini because their lives were in danger due to taxi wars.
“That is for the court to tell. We wanted them for other cases,” he responded.
He added: “If you hear you are wanted by the police, you wake up the next morning and go to the police [because all good citizens do that]. Don’t cross the border and make life difficult with extradition and all those kinds of things.”
Case postponement
The murder case was postponed to 6 March for further investigations and bail verification following a request from the state.
Arguments on the bail applications will start on 14 March.
“On the 14th of March, it will then be postponed to the 18th and 19th of March. It is foreseeable that we won’t be able to finalise the matter on these two days [so] it will then be postponed to the 27th of March for bail application purposes.
“This is according to the availability of the legal representatives of the accused and the prosecution team,” the magistrate said on Thursday.
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