KwaZulu-Natal Police said on Tuesday they have arrested six people over the murder of rap artists, Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA.
Six suspects arrested in the murder case of musician Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, known as AKA, and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane are due to appear in court on Thursday, 29 February.
The suspects face charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, among others.
Forbes and Motsoane were gunned down in Durban’s Florida Road on 10 February 2023 as they were leaving Wish restaurant.
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said Forbes was the main target of the shooting, and Motsoane was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
“It was clear that AKA was monitored from the airport and Tibz was not the intended target in the murder on Florida Road in Durban,” Mkhwanazi said
Mkhwanazi told reporters that the “mastermind”, two gunmen, two spotters and “the organiser of firearms and vehicles” were all in custody.
“The six suspects have played different roles during the operation. We have the coordinator, who is the master of everything. We have two shooters that we all saw on social media. We have two spotters. One of the spotters was inside the restaurant observing Mr Forbes and his friends, as well as the organiser of firearms and vehicles used as getaways,” Mkhwanazi said.
Mkhwanazi said the spotter initially followed Forbes from the airport to the hotel and to the restaurant where he was fatally shot.
On 22 April 2023, the first suspect was arrested in Belhar, Cape Town. He was the alleged organiser who hired vehicles and guns. He was also in police custody for several unrelated murders.
On 24 October 2023, the second suspect, who was an alleged spotter, was arrested. He was linked to another unrelated murder in the Berea area.
Mkhwanazi said the suspects were linked to the AKA murder through four vehicles that were used in the planning, spotting and getaway, including a Mercedes Benz, BMW, Hyundai i10 and VW Polo.
Two of the vehicles had been rented and have since been returned to their owner, who has furnished the police with a statement.
HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR:
- The first spotter followed AKA from the King Shaka International Airport on arrival and on his way to the hotel. He also followed him to Wish restaurant.
- The individual mentioned above was also responsible for gathering the resources and hiring the others to execute the murder.
- The second spotter was outside Wish and is also linked to other murder cases.
- Two of the suspects were arrested in Eswatini where they were hiding while four were arrested in South Africa.
- Police said four vehicles, a firearm and cartridges found on the murder scene were linked to other cases.
- The first vehicle, a Mercedes Benz was recovered on 6 March 2022.
- Police recovered the gun to used to murder AKA on 22 April 2022 when they made the first arrest.
- AKA was the main target. The hitmen had planed a drive-by shooting, however , AKA took too long greeting Motsoane outside Wish.