Suspects in AKA's murder linked to taxi boss kidnapping and murder charges

Two of the suspects accused of the murder of rapper Kiernan AKA Forbes and chef Tebello Tibz Motsoane - Siyanda Myeza and Lindani Ndimande, are set to go on a pre-trial conference in a separate matter, where they are charged with kidnapping and murder of a taxi boss. 

In the taxi murder case, the pair are charged alongside Siphamandla Ngcobo from Capella Beach and Mduduzi Ngubeni from Mlazi township.

They are charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, possession of a prohibited firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm. 

They are accused of killing Siyabonga Ngcobo, who was part of the Lamontville Taxi Association, on March 6, 2023. 

The accused made their first appearance in the Durban High Court on Thursday, where the KwaZulu-Natal deputy director of public prosecutions asked for the matter to be postponed to June 12 for a pre-trial conference. 

The State alleges that the accused, on January 7, 2023, assaulted Sizwe Ndlovu and took his Mercedes-Benz.

In March, the Mercedes-Benz was used as a getaway car when they went to kill Ngcobo. 

The State submitted that during March 2023 there were taxi feuds over routes, and revenge attacks related to taxi violence were prevalent.

The accused men who were part of the association rival to that of Ngcobo allegedly conspired to have Ngcobo assassinated. 

On the fateful day the accused men believed that Ngcobo was an occupant in a vehicle that was driven by Zamokuhle Mkhwanazi, the wife of Ngcobo. 

While fleeing the crime scene, the accused allegedly drove through a red robot and knocked down a pedestrian who was crossing the road.

They did not stop and later abandoned the Mercedes.

Judge Jacqueline Henriques postponed the matter to June 12. 

Meanwhile, Myeza and Ndimande appeared alongside Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi, Mziwethemba Gwabeni, and Lindokuhle Ndimande in the Durban High Court on Thursday for a pre-trial hearing for the murder of AKA and Tibz. 

They face a raft of charges including murder and money laundering.

AKA and Tibz were shot dead while leaving the Wish restaurant in Durban's Florida Road on February 10, 2023.

According to the indictment, the State believes that the men were being surveilled and AKA's movements from the time of his arrival at the King Shaka International Airport earlier that day, were monitored.

"When Forbes and Motsoane left the establishment around 10:20pm, this information was conveyed to those waiting outside who were to execute a plan to kill Forbes," the indictment claimed.

The State further claims that "all these relevant times during the commission of the offences, the accused acted in furtherance of a common purpose", as per the indictment.

Their pre-trial will start on June 12. 

Cape Argus