The suspects involved in the murder of South African rapper AKA and his friend Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane tried to burn the vehicle that they used to flee the scene, the Durban Magistrate’s Court has been told.
Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, 30; Lindani Ndimande, 35; Siyanda Myeza, 21; Mziwethemba Gwabeni, 36; and Lindokuhle Ndimande, 29, appeared at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
During the bail hearing for the accused, it was revealed that they had been linked to the killing through cellphone records, vehicle tracking, CCTV footage and ballistic evidence.
Detective Bob Pillay of the South African Police Organised Crime Unit says the car that the two gunmen used to flee the scene where Forbes and Motsoane were gunned down in Durban last year, was recovered two months later, in the investigation of another murder case.
“Upon investigation carried out on the scene where the Mercedes-Benz was abandoned, it was established there was an attempt to set the vehicle alight by one of the suspects,” Pillay’s affidavit, read by State Prosecutor Advocate Lawrence Gcaba noted.
“One of the suspects also purchased airtime from a tuck shop situated a few metres away from where the vehicle was abandoned. Investigations revealed that Sphamandla Ngcobo was identified as the person who recharged his cellphone with the airtime purchased from the tuck shop.”
Meanwhile, one of the five accused, Lindokuhle Ndimande, claimed in his bail application that his life had been threatened by law enforcement officers.
“On February 27, 2024, while away visiting my girlfriend, I received a call from my biological mother in Camperdown. She informed me that there were police at home looking for me.
“She then handed a cellular phone to the person who told me that he was a police officer and that I must hand myself over.
“He further stated that in the event I failed to hand myself over, he had already shown my mother where my grave would be next to the cattle kraal, as he and another police officer were even prepared to shoot me,” he said.