Six suspects linked to murder of South African rapper AKA arrested

The six suspects are due to appear in court on Thursday, said Cele at a late-night press conference at the South African Police Service (SAPS) headquarters in Durban.

Cele was joined by the KZN provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola.

AKA (35) and Motsoane were fatally shot on Florida Road in Morningside, Durban, on 10 February 2023.

The shooting took place outside the Wish on Florida restaurant. Police said AKA and Motsoane were walking to their car when they were approached by two armed men who crossed the street and shot them at close range.

The shooting was captured on CCTV footage and widely circulated on African social media.

"These six suspects played different roles during the operation. We have the coordinator, who is basically the master of everything. He is in custody. We have two shooters. We have two spotters — one of the spotters was inside the restaurant observing, watching Mr Forbes and his friends — as well as the organiser of firearms and vehicles, because the vehicle used as a getaway and firearms used to shoot, they were all hired,” Mkhwanazi said.

One of the spotters is reported to have followed Forbes from the airport on arrival, to his hotel and the Wish on Florida restaurant. 

This person was also responsible for gathering the team of hitmen and the resources, and paying them “their rewards” when the job was done.

Some of the suspects, who weren’t named, were linked to other murder cases.

During the arrest, the SAPS also recovered four vehicles, a firearm and cartridges that were picked up from the crime scene that were linked with another crime scene where another shooting happened.

The first vehicle — a Mercedes-Benz — was recovered on 6 March 2023, and the firearm that was used to shoot Forbes was recovered on 22 April.

AKA was an award-winning, internationally acclaimed South African hip-hop artist with several critically-acclaimed albums under his belt.

His murder came less than two years after the death of his fiancée, Anele “Nellie” Tembe, who died from injuries sustained when she fell from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Loop Street, Cape Town, in 2021.