CCTV footage takes centre stage in AKA and Tibz murder trial

CCTV footage tracing Kiernan “AKA” Forbes’ movements in the hours before his murder remained the focus in the Durban High Court on Monday, as the state continued presenting surveillance evidence in the trial of seven men accused of killing the rapper and his friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane.

Police technical detective Constable Rajen Sanders is taking the court through recordings collected from locations across Durban, with the footage being used to reconstruct the events leading up to the shooting outside Wish restaurant on Florida Road on 10 February 2023. The recordings cover King Shaka International Airport, the Hilton Garden Inn and establishments around the restaurant where Forbes and Motsoane spent their final hours.

The state has been using the recordings to trace the movements of people and vehicles allegedly connected to the killings. Investigators collected footage from at least 17 locations, some of which provided multiple camera angles. Together, the recordings are intended to help establish a timeline of events and determine whether the movements captured on camera support the prosecution’s case.

A central issue is identifying the accused in the footage. Sanders previously identified accused number four, Mziwethemba Gwabini, in recordings from King Shaka International Airport. The state has also presented footage showing vehicles allegedly linked to the accused near locations visited by Forbes. The defence has challenged aspects of the identification evidence, making the quality of the images and the basis for the witness’s conclusions important issues in the trial.

Sanders also identified accused number five, Lindokuhle Ndimande, in footage from inside the Wish restaurant, where he was seated behind Forbes and his entourage. Recordings shown in court captured patrons reacting after the shooting, while Ndimande was seen standing up, appearing to ask what had happened before paying his bill. The state is relying on the footage as part of its broader effort to establish the movements and alleged roles of the accused.

The recordings must, however, be considered alongside the rest of the evidence.

The families of Forbes and Motsoane were not present in court as footage showing the events surrounding their deaths was presented. Instead, they would have to follow the proceedings through televised broadcasts, watching as evidence about the final hours of their loved ones was examined in court.