Nomonde Zondi|Published
The Durban High Court has heard that chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane was at the right place at the wrong time when he was gunned down alongside his friend, rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, outside Wish restaurant on Florida Road on February 10, 2023.
This emerged from the testimony of two State witnesses, Simphiwe Ngidi and Tshediso Mokoko, known as Don Design, on Tuesday.
Mokoko, who was the last witness to testify for the day, told the court that he was part of AKA’s entourage on the night of the shooting.
He said Tibz joined them for dinner at Wish after they had run their errands and AKA had his final haircut at the Bride and Groom salon, also situated on Florida Road.
Mokoko testified that when they left the restaurant, AKA and Tibz were embracing each other and saying what they did not know would be their final goodbyes as they prepared to go their separate ways.
Earlier in the day, Ngidi, who drove the entourage, told the court that Tibz had initially been at Authentic restaurant before joining AKA and his friends after learning that they were at Wish.
Mokoko said AKA and Tibz were a few steps behind him as they left the restaurant. He noticed that the doors of the luxury Hyundai Staria they had been travelling in were opening but no one was inside.
The group was preparing to leave for the Hilton Hotel in Umhlanga, where they were staying, when Mokoko noticed two vehicles that appeared to have blocked their way. He said he wondered how they would manoeuvre around the vehicles.
“Shortly after that I had a loud bang of something that sounded like fireworks and saw people crouching and screaming. I did the same and ran back to the establishment,” Mokoko testified.
“Where were AKA and Tibz during this time?” senior State advocate Elvis Gcweka asked.
Mokoko said he did not see AKA but saw Tibz crawling as people ran back into Wish.
Asked where the loud bang had come from, Mokoko said he was unsure.
“To be honest with you I recall seeing sparks at the corner of my left eye, when I was facing the restaurant. I wasn’t too sure where exactly it was coming from,” he said.
“This might sound like a stupid question but why did you run?” Gcweka asked.
Mokoko said he did not understand what was happening and initially thought someone had set off fireworks.
“I was scared,” he said.
He testified that as they ran, he saw Tibz lying on the ground and bleeding profusely, realising that something terrible had happened.
“Where was AKA’s bodyguard?” Gcweka asked.
Mokoko said he did not see the bodyguard and had not seen him since the incident.
He added that he believed he could have been struck by a stray bullet had he moved any closer to AKA and Tibz.
Ngidi had earlier testified that he, too, initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks or a prank.
“During that interaction I had a loud bang I thought it was fireworks because I remember seeing sparks. In my head I thought it was a prank. My hands were on my head and I closed my eyes. I remember hearing someone saying there is a gun,” Ngidi told the court.
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 Mokoko.
The trial continues.