The five suspects accused of orchestrating the plot to murder Kiernan ‘AKA‘ Forbes and his ex-manager Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane, were due to appear in court on Friday, 29 November 2024.
Watch live: AKA murder suspects back on the dock
PLEASE NOTE: THE LIVE STREAM WAS SCHEDULED TO START AT 09:25. PLEASE ALLOW FOR DELAYS IN PROCEEDINGS.
Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, and Lindokuhle Lindo Ndimande will return to the dock for what’s expected to be a brief affair, where the State will update the court on its ongoing investigations.
In August, prosecutors informed the court about the likelihood of adding more suspects to the charge sheet based on warning statements that were obtained from several individuals.
A warning statement is a formal declaration or statement taken from a person of interest or a suspect by law enforcement authorities.
The purpose of a warning statement is to record the individual’s account of events or responses to certain questions while informing them of their rights.
While the details will be canvassed in court, the State may be building a case based on financial evidence that points to a mastermind, the person who commissioned the murder of AKA.
What we know so far is that feared taxi boss Mfundo Gcaba is at the centre of the State’s case.
In March, prosecutors told the court that Gcaba’s company, Bright Circle, transferred R803,000 to Gwabeni after a call was made on Saturday, 11 February 2023, a day after the murders.
This call, placed shortly before the substantial deposit, was flagged by the investigation team as a potential indicator of collusion or at the very least, a prelude to the financial transaction.
Following the initial deposit, Gwabeni reportedly distributed the funds among his co-accused, each receiving a portion of just over R100,000.
In defence, Gwabeni claimed the R803,000 was a legitimate payment for consultation services from a reputable company.
However, this assertion was met with scepticism by the state prosecutor Elvis Gcweka, who argued there was no evidence of any services rendered by Gwabeni’s company to Bright Circle.
Two additional suspects are still to be extradited from Eswatini.
