AKA killing — additional charges of money laundering pile up against murder accused

The state has added two money laundering charges to the 10 charges facing the five men accused of planning and carrying out the assassination of celebrated musician Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, who was gunned down with celebrity chef Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane outside a popular Durban restaurant in February 2023.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Seven arrested, including alleged ‘mastermind’, for murder of rapper AKA – Police Minister Cele

The five men — Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi (30), Lindani Ndimande (35), Siyanda Myeza (21), Mziwethemba Gwabeni (36) and Lindokuhle Ndimande (29) — appeared for the first time last Wednesday; their case was postponed to today.

Read more in Daily Maverick: AKA murder — Eswatini court postpones extradition case against two suspects

The five appeared a day after two brothers Siyabonga and Malusi Ndimande appeared before the Manzini Magistrates Court in Eswatini.

The duo were arrested in Eswatini on 24 February and are believed to have been in hiding in that country after being wanted in connection with AKA’s murder. Their extradition matter will resume at the Manzini court on Tuesday next week.

SA Hi Hop star AKA performs during the Miss Mamelodi Sundowns 2019 Grand Finale at Gallagher Estate on February 03, 2019 in Midrand, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Frennie Shivambu)

If the extradition application by the South African authorities is successful, the Ndimande brothers are expected to join the five accused in the 12 charges brought against them. The charges include two counts of murder (of AKA and Tibz Motsoane), five charges of attempted murder, illegal possession of unlawful firearms, illegal possession of ammunition and money laundering.

Four of the seven implicated men are Ndimande siblings whose family owns a fleet of taxis in KwaZulu-Natal.

During the brief court appearance, prosecutor VV Hlatshwayo read the charges facing the five men and added that money laundering charges had been added to the ten that the accused had already been indicted on.

The court was packed to capacity, with journalists and families of the accused in the public gallery. Unlike the previous appearance last week, AKA’s father Tony Forbes, KZN police commissioner Lt-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and Police Minister Bheki Cele were not present.

Lt-General Mkhwanazi had said the seven men “had played different roles during the operation [the murders]. We have a co-ordinator, who is the master of everything. We have two shooters that we all saw on the social media

[video clips]

. 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”.

The magistrate has ordered the men to remain in custody until next Thursday, 14 March, for the start of the bail hearing.

Legal representatives of the five accused have indicated that they will apply for bail and the state has said it will oppose such applications, as the accused are facing, amongst others, premeditated murder, which is regarded as Schedule 6 in South African law, which places the burden on the accused to convince the court that it is not only in the interest of justice, but also that there must exceptional circumstances that he/she must be granted bail. DM