Former police minister Bheki Cele’s explosive testimony before Parliament has reignited controversy around the tragic death of Anele ‘Nelli’ Tembe, and left the family of late rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes deeply hurt.
Appearing before Parliament’s ad-hoc committee investigating corruption in the criminal justice system, Cele claimed police investigators believed Tembe had been murdered and had tried multiple times to have the case enrolled in court.
According to Cele, prosecutors continually sent the matter back for further work instead of approving it for trial. ‘Police did the investigation and they believed that the daughter was murdered. They went time and again to the prosecutor for things to be enrolled,’ he said. ‘They would say, go back, dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Until they said, if you can’t do it, give us a certificate.’
Cele added that when no certificate was issued to allow for private prosecution, he even approached the president about it. He insisted the inquest into Tembe’s death is still asking why the case was never brought before court.
However, Tony Forbes, AKA’s father, has condemned the remarks, saying Cele’s statement caused ‘undue harm’ and reignited false narratives about his late son.
WATCH | Former Police Minister Bheki Cele says that police did an investigation and believed that Anele Tembe was murdered. He adds, “You will hear one day that there’s an inquest into the death of Moses Tembe’s daughter.” pic.twitter.com/RXtJgQntw8
— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 23, 2025
‘After the ex-minister’s testimony, he was telling the nation that the police believed she was murdered,’ Forbes told eNCA. ‘The minister’s words still carry a lot of weight. It’s reopened the wounds, and Kiernan is being spoken of as a murderer again. It’s unfair and hurtful. He’s not allowed to defend himself.’
Forbes said the proper process is still underway through the inquest and urged the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to set the record straight. ‘The right place for this to play out is in the inquest. That’s what it’s for. It’s not too late, the facts must be examined properly,’ he said.
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When asked directly if he believed in his son’s innocence, Forbes did not hesitate. ‘There’s no doubt Kiernan was not a murderer. Two weeks before Anele died, he asked for her hand in marriage. He was not aggressive. He would never have done that.’
Forbes also rejected reports that he had once ‘snubbed’ Cele at a public event, calling it untrue. ‘We travelled together from Cape Town. I greeted General Mponazi when we arrived in Durban. He never came to the house, as he said. That’s not true.’
Frustrated with how the parliamentary session was handled, Forbes said he was disappointed that no one challenged Cele’s contradictions. ‘He said he went to the president about a private prosecution, but then claimed he’s never been involved in investigations or prosecutions. No one questioned that,’ he added. ‘The NPA needs to respond, this one-sided narrative must end.’
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