Late on Friday evening, the country lost one of its most successful entertainers.
The hitmaker Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, and his close friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, were shot dead outside Wish Restaurant in one of Durban’s entertainment hubs, Florida Road.
AKA had spent the evening with friends, including his former manager, entrepreneur and celebrity chef, Tibz, who appears to have been shot by a stray bullet aimed at AKA.
In CCTV video footage that has since emerged – and gone viral – the men are seen walking out of the eatery and seconds later they are approached by two shooters, from different directions.
AKA drops to the ground while the rest of the men in the video duck for cover.
AKA was due to perform at YūGō Durban later that evening as part of his birthday celebrations. The nightclub cancelled the event when they learnt of AKA’s death.
Speaking to IOL, KwaZulu-Natal SAPS spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said police were investigating two counts of murder.
“We don’t want to speculate on the reason for the shooting. Our investigations will hopefully reveal the cause of the shooting,” Netshiunda said.
At the weekend, police revealed that the case had been taken over by experienced teams of investigators from the KZN Organised Crime Unit.
A prayer was also held at the venue on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in a case of Whodunnit, social media super sleuths have shared various (conspiracy) theories on who they believe could have had motive.
One of AKA’s friends, Don Design, who has been fingered by social media ‘detectives’ as a suspect, but importantly and officially.
They claim that his behaviour, as seen on the CCTV footage, including his hand gestures, were out of place.
However, AKA’s father Tony Forbes, who spoke at a short media briefing on Tuesday, has asked people to refrain from making such allegations.
“We do not condone what is being said about his friends and those making dangerous statements. We appeal to them to cease doing so,” Forbes said.
Forbes also announced that a memorial service would be held at the Sandton Convention Centre on Friday, February 17 at 3pm. AKA’s funeral will take place on Saturday, February 18.
It will be a private funeral.
A memorial service for Tibz will be held on Thursday at Sacred Heart College in Observatory, Joburg.
