Police make breakthroughs in AKA murder case – report

Police have reportedly made important breakthroughs in the investigation into the murder of Kiernan Forbes, also known as AKA.

AKA murder

In February, AKA was shot outside the Wish on Florida restaurant in Durban.

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

City Press is reporting that police are investigating AKA’s close associates. They are also looking into members of a family involved in taxi operations. These family members also have links to the construction mafia in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

‘Powerful and feared’ family

Sources in the security cluster told the publication that AKA and Motsoane were followed from King Shaka International Airport to the Wish on Florida restaurant.

“The police have already obtained the footage that reveals that there was surveillance by the [alleged] hitmen who later carried out the hit outside the Wish on Florida restaurant in Durban.”

“This family is powerful and feared,” said one source.

Nellie Tembe’s death

A source also claimed that one of the suspects was at the scene when AKA’s fiancé Nelisiwe ‘Nellie’ Tembe died in Cape Town in 2021.

“The person allegedly met with one of the suspects who has been arrested on a different charge and was [allegedly] involved in the shooting,” they said.

Tembe fell to her death from the 10th floor of Cape Town’s Pepperclub Hotel in the early hours of 11 April 2021.

Her death was allegedly a suicide.

ALSO READ: Anele Tembe latest: NPA to reopen case of AKA’s ex due to ‘crucial evidence’

In May, the NPA decided to open a new investigation into Tembe’s death.

The decision came after the Tembe family wrote a letter to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) saying there is a possibility that Nellie died due to foul play.

The family claimed crucial evidence had been ignored, including:

• A witness, Rob Stefanatto, said in a statement he heard an argument between a woman and a man coming from AKA’s hotel room. 
• Before Nellie’s fall, the witness claimed “he overheard the woman desperately asking the attacker, a man, to leave her alone”.
• AKA did not attend to his injured fiancée, who remained alive for approximately 20 minutes. Stefanatto administered CPR and called emergency services.
• AKA “cleaned up the hotel room where blood was found on some towels.”
• The rapper “partied and drank at the hotel with his entourage following the passing of his fiancée”.
• Nellie’s fingerprints were not found on the balustrade of the balcony, which would have indicated that she had climbed over the railing herself. 

Police recover gun

The City Press report claims that the police have also recovered the gun that was used in AKA’s murder and a prepaid airtime voucher used by one of the alleged gunmen to call the people who ordered the killing.

The getaway cars have also been seized by police.

In May, it was reported that the firearm used in the shooting had been recovered by officers in Umlazi. Police, however, refused to confirm this, saying the news reports could harm the investigations.

ALSO READ: Police say unfounded news on AKA murder may hurt investigation