Two South African 'hitmen' arrested in Eswatini not linked to AKA's death

Police say investigations into the musician's death are at a 'sensitive' stage

Rapper AKA was shot dead in Florida Road in Durban on February 10 2023.
Rapper AKA was shot dead in Florida Road in Durban on February 10 2023.
Image: Instagram/AKA via Thotloetso Kutlwano Mogotsi

Two South African men arrested in Eswatini on Friday and set to be sent home are not linked to rapper AKA's murder, SA police say. 

According to an Eswatini media report, the two, who are brothers from Durban, were living in a house with another man who is now on the run after the arrests. 

The newspaper reported the men were wanted in connection with the shooting of the musician and were being extradited to South Africa.

Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his friend, entertainment entrepreneur, chef and author Tebello 'Tibs' Motsoane were shot dead as they left Wish on Florida in Durban in February last year.

On Monday, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi corrected the Eswatini media reports about the two arrested suspects.

Mkhwanazi said the suspects face charges of murder and attempted murder where a man, who was a passenger in a vehicle, was shot dead in Berea on March 6 last year.

The driver of the vehicle survived the shooting and managed to drive to a fuel station in Berea where she sought assistance.

He said investigations led to the suspects being traced to where they were hiding in Eswatini.

He thanked the authorities in Eswatini for their commitment to eradicate cross-border and transnational crimes that threaten law and order in neighbouring countries.

Mkhwanazi said while he acknowledged AKA's death was a matter of public interest nationally and internationally, police would notify families of the dead and then the public through the media of any developments.

“Investigations into that particular matter [AKA] are at a sensitive stage and police do not want to communicate information that may comprise the investigation. The ‘AKA’ and 'Tibs’ murder case is a complex one and there was and still are tonnes of evidential information to be analysed and processed.

“This is a prosecution-led investigation and when the police have tied all the loose ends and covered all the loopholes an announcement into the investigation and the progress will be communicated.”

Two weeks ago, on the anniversary of the deaths, police said they were making progress to arrest those responsible.

TimesLIVE


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