Bail Application for Five Suspects in AKA's Murder set for March 6

Five of the seven suspects in the murder of South African rap artist AKA appeared in the Durban Magistrate court on Thursday, February 29. According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, the suspects are charged with, “two counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition as well as conspiracy to commit murder.”

The five suspects, all men, appeared in a packed courtroom, which is expected since it’s a high-profile case. In attendance was AKA’s father, Tony Forbes, and several high-level police officers. The men came into the courtroom with masks on, but were asked to remove them before proceedings. The case has been adjourned till next Wednesday, March 6, for a bail hearing, which the prosecution stated they would vehemently oppose.

Just over a year ago, South African rap artist Kiernan “AKA” Forbes was shot outside a restaurant in Durban. Also killed in the incident was his close friend, celebrity chef Tebello “Tibz” Motshoane. At just 35 years old, AKA’s passing was tragic, and many hoped the perpetrators of the killings would be caught and brought to book.

Five people were expected to appear in court on Thursday, February 29, according to a Tuesday evening press conference where South African police announced that the suspects had been arrested. According to police minister Bheki Cele, all six arrested individuals are men below the age of 36, and the police allege that they were paid to kill AKA, but they didn’t provide any motive.

“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,” KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, Lt. Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said at the press briefing. Amongst the suspects are the two gunmen who allegedly shot at AKA and Tibz. The alleged gunmen were found in nearby Eswatini during a raid that was carried out over the weekend, in conjunction with Interpol. They appeared at a magistrate’s court and plans to extradite both suspects to stand trial in South Africa are in progress.

The rest of the suspects include three people who acted as spotters, following AKA from the Durban airport and relaying his movements to the gunmen. One of the suspects is alleged to have sourced the firearms, and one more person is the alleged mastermind. After announcing that it had six suspects in custody and ready for trial, South African Police told the BBC that it had arrested an additional suspect, bringing the total number to seven.

According to police spokesperson, Col. Robert Netshiunda, the seventh man is a 30-year-old South African citizen from KwaZulu-Natal province, and is accused of acting as a spotter. The police also stated that some of the suspects are also linked to other murder cases unrelated to the killings of AKA and Tibz.

This story has been updated to reflect the latest developments.