AKA murder trial hears airport footage and a ballistics link to a 2022 killing

The trial over the killing of rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes heard two strands of State evidence in the Durban High Court on Monday: airport surveillance video and ballistics testimony linking a firearm to an earlier Durban murder. The defence challenged both.

Forbes and his friend Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane were shot dead outside Wish restaurant on Florida Road on 10 February 2023. Seven men are on trial: Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Ndimande, Malusi Dave and Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande. All have pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder and the illegal possession of firearms.

The airport footage

Surveillance analyst Sandile Khuzwayo took the court through video from King Shaka International Airport, recorded hours before the shooting, TimesLIVE reported. The State says it shows a man following Forbes to the Europcar counter, waiting at the entrance while he was inside, then appearing to follow him to the parking lot. The man, according to the report, bears a strong resemblance to one of the accused, though the report does not name which one.

Adv William Nicholson SC, for the defence, argued that the man in the footage could not be identified and that Khuzwayo was not qualified to identify him. He also put it to the witness that testifying breached his company's policy. Khuzwayo said he was not aware of a subpoena.

The ballistics

Ballistics expert Ruwain Kader testified that one of the two firearms allegedly used on Florida Road was also used to kill Durban taxi boss Gift Khanyile in Mayville in 2022, and that it might be linked to five other cases in Umlazi. Six cartridges were recovered at the scene of the 2023 shooting.

Two of those cartridges were linked to a firearm that the State says was found on accused number three, Myeza. That gun was not linked to the Mayville case. Myeza disputes that a firearm was found on him at his arrest; his advocate, Simphiwe Mlotshwa, argued it was found in a room where Myeza was with six other men. Myeza has been granted a separate trial on counts 12 to 17, eNCA reported.

Where the trial stands

Earlier witnesses included club promoter Simphiwe Ngidi, who told the court on 13 October that he had collected Forbes and his group from the airport and driven them to dinner at Wish, and that he first took the gunshots for fireworks. Two eyewitnesses have described seeing two masked men run from the scene.

Khuzwayo was due back on the stand on Tuesday. The State has not closed its case.