The murder trial of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and businessman Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane was adjourned at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban on Tuesday, as the State continued presenting evidence in a case that has drawn attention to an alleged link between a firearm and multiple killings.
The trial centres on the February 2023 murders of Forbes and Motsoane, who were shot outside a restaurant on Florida Road in Durban. Seven men are standing trial in connection with the killings, and all have pleaded not guilty.
A key focus of the proceedings has been accused number three, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, and a firearm that the State alleges is linked to the murders.
On Monday, a former Tactical Response Team (TRT) officer testified about Myeza’s arrest in Umlazi in April 2023. The officer told the court that he found Myeza inside a house and recovered a firearm concealed near his groin during a body search.
The defence has disputed this account. Myeza’s advocate, Simphiwe Mlotshwa, challenged the circumstances surrounding the arrest and suggested that the firearm had been planted on his client. The officer rejected the suggestion, maintaining that he had personally recovered the weapon from Myeza.
The firearm is also allegedly linked to the May 2022 murder of taxi boss Gift Khanyile in Mayville, Durban. The State has presented evidence suggesting that the same weapon was connected to both incidents.
The court also heard that information from Crime Intelligence officials had led to Myeza’s arrest. The officer declined to identify the officials who had provided the information.
By Tuesday, the State had called five witnesses, with further testimony expected as prosecutors continued building their case. The defence’s challenges are focused on the circumstances in which the firearm was recovered and whether the evidence supports the State’s allegations against Myeza.
Tuesday’s adjournment marks another pause in the proceedings, which are scheduled to continue during the current trial period. The precise reason for the latest adjournment and the confirmed date and time of the next sitting have not been independently established from the reports available.