With hours to go before family and friends gather for Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes's memorial on Friday, damning reports have surfaced alleging that the multi-award-winning rapper shoved Anele Tembe off a balcony.
The allegations came just days after the National Prosecuting Authority gave reasons for why it did not prosecute anyone for Tembe's death.
According to NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, after careful consideration, Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Nicolette Bell decided not to institute any prosecution for Tembe’s death and that the matter be referred for an inquest to be held.
Tembe reportedly fell to her death from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town in April 2021.
On Friday, City Press reported that Tembe's family, through its lawyers, sent a letter to the NPA after the decision not to prosecute was made.
The letter reportedly claims that AKA pushed his girlfriend. It also claimed that there was “ample evidence to go ahead with prosecuting him”.
City Press shared excerpts of the letter, which said AKA and a staffer at the hotel fabricated their statements to the police and that evidence presented during the investigation was ignored.
City Press reported that AKA and Tembe were heard arguing in the hotel and a witness claimed Tembe told AKA to leave her alone moments before her “fall”. The witness claimed to have heard “Anele Tembe drop and administered CPR on her”.
City Press also reported that there were blood marks in the hotel room indicating that the couple fought, and that AKA had scratch marks on his back, believed to have been made by Tembe as she tried to defend herself.
The letter, according to the City Press report, goes on to state that Tembe’s fingerprints were not found on the balcony, further proving that she was pushed or thrown over.
The report states that Tembe did not die immediately but was alive for 20 minutes after she hit the ground and that AKA did not attempt to help her.
Sources claimed that a warrant had been issued for AKA's arrest, however, the NPA told IOL that the case was registered as an inquest docket and no warrant of arrest was ever issued.
AKA was gunned down in Durban’s Florida Road alongside his former manager and long-time friend, Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane.
AKA’s memorial will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre at 3pm on Friday. The Forbes family said he would have a private funeral on Saturday.
IOL