AKA-Tibz murder: State ready for trial after serving accused with indictments

The State has served the five men accused of killing rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane with indictments on Friday.

The accused appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday, and their case was transferred to the Durban High Court, where their trial will be held.

Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimane, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Mkhwanazi face two counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of possession of a prohibited firearm and two counts of money laundering.

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They were denied bail in May last year by Magistrate Vincent Hlatshwayo.

Two other suspects, Siyabonga Ndimande and Malusi Ndimande, remain in custody in eSwatini and are awaiting extradition to South Africa.

Charges

The men were charged with conspiracy to commit murder in that between January and February 2023; the accused “allegedly unlawfully and intentionally conspired with each other to the state to aid or procure the commission of or to commit the offence of murder”.

“The state alleges that at all relevant times during the commission of these offences, the accused acted in furtherance of a common purpose. It is at present unknown to the state who all the parties thereto were and precisely when, where and/or in what manner the common purpose was formed, but it is alleged that it was in existence at least immediately before and for the duration of the commission of the offences,” reads the state’s arguments.

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They have also been charged with the attempted murder of Tshediso ‘Don Design’ Mokoko, Thotloetso Kutlwano Mogotsi, Lusaso Buthanani Ngcobo, Siyabonga Makhosative Mdluli and Kerwyn Clive Patrick Jackson.

They were with AKA and Tibz at Wish restaurant that fateful night.

AKA-Tibz murder trial date

Forbes and Motsoane were killed outside the now-defunct restaurant, Wish, on Durban’s Florida Road on 10 February 2023.

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The trial of five men accused will begin on 8 May 2025 in the Durban High Court.

The state is expected to bring in two eyewitnesses of the shooting. One of the witnesses will implicate a suspect not part of the group already in court.

The suspects were allegedly paid R800 000 for their role.