Solving AKA: Road to justice
Durban — It has been exactly a month since the police officially announced that they had men linked to the murder of multi-award-winning South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes in custody.
The announcement came a year after the father of one was shot at close range on Durban’s Florida Road along with his friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane.
Seven men, including two yet to be extradited to SA from eSwatini, were arrested in connection with the murders.
Much like CCTV footage of the brazen shooting that was shared widely on social media at the time, the court proceedings following the men’s arrest have been nothing short of dramatic as the State detailed evidence it has linking the men to the shooting.
The bail application proceedings continue on Monday (today) in the Durban Magistrate’s Court for five of the seven men.
Amid the court proceedings, the name of a well-known family involved in the taxi industry was revealed to be linked to the source of the money that allegedly paid the R803 455 for the hit.
But the Gcaba family vehemently denied that Mfundo Gcaba was involved in any underhand business dealing, saying he had paid for services rendered by the company belonging to one of the five accused. The family said Mfundo had ongoing business relations with Gwabs Mining which belongs to businessman and accused Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, 36.
The State alleged that Gwabs Mining owned by accused Gwabeni received R803455 on the pretext that it was for consultation when in fact it had been for AKA’s murder. And that Gwabeni allegedly transferred more than R100000 into each of the accused’s bank accounts including that of Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande, now in custody in eSwatini awaiting extradition.
Also, that the money was paid by a company, Bright Circle, into Gwabeni’s FNB account a day after the murder and investigations uncovered that Gcaba was the sole director of Bright Circle and cell phone records show that before the money was deposited Gwabeni made a call to a number linked to Gcaba.
WHAT THE STATE ALLEGES
On the day of the murder, Gwabeni is alleged by the State to have followed AKA and his entourage in a BMW, that in his bail affidavits he admits to owning, from King Shaka International Airport to the Hilton Hotel, Umhlanga, where they were staying. The BMW matching the registration of the one that belongs to Gwabeni is captured on CCTV footage passing the hotel.
Gwabeni hired a grey VW Polo which the State alleges is also seen on that day on CCTV footage at the hotel.
This car was established by the police to be the spotter vehicle used by the assailants. Cellphone records place accused Lindokuhle Lindo Ndimande, 29, in the vicinity of the Hilton Hotel at around the same time that the footage captured the VW passing the hotel.
Cellphone records also place Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande at Kensington Square at the same time that the Polo is on the Ruth First Highway as per the car’s tracker report.
Later that day AKA, his entourage and Tibz were at Wish Restaurant as was Lindo. According to police, he ordered a meal which was paid for with a Standard Bank Card. Investigations revealed that the account was opened by Lindo on the day of the murder.
CCTV footage captured shows him being dropped off at the restaurant by the Polo.
Later in the evening, a Mercedes-Benz arrives on Florida Road parking 100 metres from the restaurant.
When AKA, his entourage, and Tibz exit the restaurant the two shooters can be seen in the footage coming from the direction of the Mercedes crossing Florida Road towards the restaurant.
Following this the shooting occurred, and the two shooters fled in the direction of the Mercedes.
Cellphone records place accused Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, 30, in the vicinity of the crime scene at the time of the shooting.
The State in the bail application which continues on Monday (today) had previously indicated that it has witness statements, forensic and scientific evidence linking all the accused to the murder.
Malusi Dave Ndimande, also known as Mjay, is alleged to have pulled the trigger on the gun which took AKA’s life.
THE GETAWAY CAR
Investigations after the shooting led police to CCTV footage showing the Mercedes’s registration and from it, they noticed that the car’s left front headlight was not working. A month after the murder police got word that the car had been used in a murder and an attempted murder and had been found in Cato Manor informal settlement.
On arrival, police found the petrol cap opened and two burnt match sticks at the entrance of the tank. Two spent cartridge cases were in the back seat, one was in the front seat and a live round was also found in the car established to have been stolen a month before AKA’s murder. The live round found in the Mercedes matched spent cartridges found near AKA’s body.
An airtime slip found in the car led police to Siphamandla Ngcobo whose cellphone records showed that on the night of AKA’s murder, he communicated with accused Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, 35, Gezani, and Malusi Dave Ndimande.
The three’s cellphone records were obtained and these placed them in the vicinity of Florida Road on the day of the rapper’s murder.
From investigations, police found that the Mercedes and guns used in the murder were provided by accused Siyanda Eddie Myeza, 21, at Gezani’s request. He wanted a getaway car and guns. Myeza was arrested and found with one of the guns used in AKA’s murder sometime after the killing.
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