Five of the seven accused of the murder of rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane returned to the docks in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where additional charges have been added to the charge sheet.
Forbes and Motsoane were gunned down outside the Wish restaurant in Durban in February last year.
Also read: 5 of 7 suspects accused of AKA murder to remain in custody
Initially, the five suspects, some of whom allegedly have links to the taxi industry, faced a total of ten counts, including two counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as conspiracy to commit murder.
The five suspects are Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi, Lindani Ndimande, Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Gwabeni and Lindokuhle Ndimande.
During their brief appearance in court this morning, the state informed the court that four of the five suspects now face two additional counts of money laundering.
According to KwaZulu-Natal Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Elvis Gcweka, the first charge of money laundering is against accused number four, Mziwethemba Gwabeni, who is believed to be the coordinator in the murder plot.
It was previously reported that the accused received R800 000 in total for the hit, which was distributed among them by the coordinator.
Accused number one Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi, number two Lindani Ndimande and number five Lindokuhle Ndimande, face the second charge for receiving illegally obtained money.
The other two suspects, brothers Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande, from a notoriously feared and influential family from Ocliwane, appeared in the Eswatini Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, reported News24.
The South African national director of public prosecutions has yet to file an extradition order to deport them and the matter was adjourned to 12 March to allow the state to complete the extradition documents.
According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, the suspects’ appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court was for the verification of certain aspects in preparation for a bail application.
The five suspects were remanded into custody at Westville Prison and the matter has been further adjourned to Thursday, 14 March, for the start of the bail application.
The dates for the bail application are 14, 18, 19 and 27 March.
Also read:
Bo-Kaap residents call for more police presence amid increased violence
Picture: @African_TimesSA / X
