Johannesburg, South Africa – Seven suspects have been apprehended in connection with the murders of renowned South African rapper Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA, and his close friend, celebrity chef and entrepreneur Tebello “Tibz” Motshoane, who were fatally shot outside a restaurant in Durban a year ago, a shocking incident that left the nation in disbelief.
Authorities revealed that hitmen were hired to target AKA, but the motive behind the attack remains undisclosed. Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, disclosed during a press briefing that surveillance confirmed AKA was trailed from the airport, with Motshoane unintentionally becoming a victim of the murder on Florida Road in Durban.
The suspects, all under 36 years old, are scheduled to appear in court on Thursday to face charges related to the killings. According to Lt Gen Mkwananzi, the accused individuals assumed varying roles in the plot to assassinate AKA, including two gunmen who carried out the shooting, three spotters who tracked AKA from the airport, a firearms accomplice, and the mastermind behind the operation.
Some of the arrested suspects have also been linked to other unrelated murder cases. The arrests of six suspects were made on Tuesday evening, with a seventh suspect, believed to have been one of the spotters, apprehended on Wednesday morning.
The two alleged gunmen were located in a hideout in Eswatini, leading to their arrest by Interpol over the weekend. They appeared before a magistrate’s court in Eswatini on Tuesday, with arrangements being made to extradite them to South Africa to face the charges of murder.
Recovered evidence from the arrests includes firearms associated with the murders of AKA and Motshoane, empty cartridges, and four vehicles. Police Minister Bheki Cele acknowledged the distress caused by the killings, captured on CCTV cameras, stating a hope that the arrests would bring a sense of peace to the public.
Details regarding the motive are expected to be revealed during court proceedings, shedding light on the coordinated nature of the attack. AKA’s substantial influence in the music industry, both nationally and internationally, has solidified his legacy, with numerous accolades and posthumous honors recognizing his contributions to the hip hop genre.