Trial dates have been issued in the murder case of Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (AKA) and Tebello Motsoane (Tibz).
The five men arrested in connection with the murders appeared in the Durban High Court on Wednesday, 13 August.
Award-winning musician AKA and his friend, celebrity chef Tibz, were shot and killed outside a restaurant on Durban’s Florida Road in 2023.
PRE-TRIAL ISSUES
KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the matter was postponed to allow the parties to address outstanding pre-trial issues. A trial judge must still be appointed.
“The trial dates are 20 July to 21 August 2026, and 5 October to 6 November 2026,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
Proceedings saw some drama earlier in the day when Judge Jacqueline Henriques reprimanded both the state and defence for the slow pace of the pre-trial process. As a result, the case was not certified as trial-ready.
Henriques also called out the state for failing to share documents with the defence, including witness statements. Defence counsel Advocate Simphiwe Mlotshwa also indicated he was considering an application to compel the state to disclose witness statements. According to TimesLIVE, the state is expected to call 45 witnesses.
The case was postponed to 19 June 2026.
NUMEROUS CHARGES
The accused – Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, and Lindokuhle Lindo Ndimande – are aged between 21 and 36.
Two other accused remain in custody in Eswatini. They face multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, attempted murder, and firearm- and ammunition-related offences.
DO YOU THINK JUSTICE WILL FINALLY BE SERVED IN THE AKA AND TIBZ MURDER CASE?
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