Kiernan “AKA” Forbes was followed from the King Shaka International Airport upon landing in Durban before his 10 February 2023 murder.

This was revealed by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during a press briefing in the city on Tuesday, 27 February, where it was reported that six suspects had been arrested.

MKHWANAZI DETAILS ROLES OF ARRESTED ‘ HITMEN’ THE NIGHT AKA WAS KILLED
The provincial commissioner said one more suspect would be arrested for the murder of AKA, who was gunned down with his friend and business partner Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane outside Wish Restaurant on Florida Road, Durban.

“The organiser initially followed Mr Forbes from the airport on arrival all the way to the hotel as well as to the restaurant where the incident happened. This person was also responsible for gathering resources together, the whole team together, and the rewards that came thereafter,” Mkhwanazi explained.

 

“The second suspect in custody is the person who supplied the vehicles and firearms, and that person was also linked to two other murder cases. The third one is a shooter who was linked to another murder case.

“We have another spotter who was just outside the restaurant, who is also linked to another case, and another spotter who was outside Wish, who is linked to two other murder cases, and we have the shooter, as a sixth person, who is linked to another murder case.”

WHEN WERE THE ARRESTS MADE?
According to Mkhwanazi, the first suspect was arrested on 22 April 2023, which was around the same time the media broke the news. This suspect allegedly hired the vehicles and guns.

On 24 October 2023, the second arrest was made. The alleged hitman is believed to be one of the spotters.

The third suspect, who is one of the alleged shooters, was arrested on 14 December 2023.

On Saturday, 24 February 2024, two suspects (believed to be brothers) were arrested in a hideout in Mbabane, Eswatini. One of the brothers was an alleged spotter, while the other was one of the alleged shooters. The pair is also linked to other murders in Berea.

The sixth suspect was arrested on 27 February 2024. He is the alleged co-ordinator who allegedly assembled and paid all the suspects. He had fled to Eswatini with the other two suspects but escaped when police pounced on them. Police said he later handed himself over.