AKA and Tibz trial
Nomonde Zondi|Published
The road manager of slain rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes has told the Durban High Court that he was running alongside chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane during the shooting outside Wish restaurant when Tibz suddenly fell, prompting him to realise that Tibz had been shot.
Siyabonga Mdluli, who is also a complainant in the murder case, testified on Wednesday morning that he was behind AKA and Tibz as they stood outside Wish on Florida Road, embracing without knowing it would be their final moments together.
Mdluli said he heard a loud sound resembling a gunshot, followed by what he estimated were three or more shots. He then ran back towards the restaurant, with Tibz running alongside him.
“He fell and that is when I realised that he got shot. I started looking around to see where AKA was because I thought he ran inside and when I looked he wasn’t there,” Mdluli testified.
He said he went back outside through the restaurant’s doorway, where he saw AKA lying on the ground.
Mdluli then returned inside and tried repeatedly to contact the police on 10111 and call an ambulance.
He said it took about 10 minutes to get through to the police. While waiting for them to arrive, he realised that Tibz had also succumbed to his injuries. The police arrived about 15 minutes later, he testified.
“We waited for the police to do their job and we were escorted to Sibaya to a friend’s place until our flights because we didn’t know whether these guys were after us,” he said.
Asked by senior State advocate Elvis Gcweka where the bodyguard had been during the shooting, Mdluli said he did not know.
“I don’t know where the bodyguard was and I don’t know where he went,” he testified.
Mdluli said he had last seen the bodyguard before the shooting.
Meanwhile, AKA’s photographer, Thotloesto Kutlwano Mogotsi, known as TK, also confirmed that Tibz had initially been at a restaurant next door before joining the group at Wish while they were having dinner.
Mogotsi said several people were part of the group when they left the restaurant, as other colleagues from the entertainment industry had joined them.
Mogotsi, who was still testifying, described the loud bang he heard during the shooting as a sensation of heat on the left side of his body.
Seven men — Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Gwabeni, Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Mkhwanazi, Malusi Dave Ndimande and Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande — are on trial for the murders of AKA and Tibz as well as the attempted murder of Mdluli.
The trial continues.
nomonde.zondi@iol.co.za