The AKA murder trial opened at the Durban High Court on Monday, 5 October 2026, with all seven accused pleading not guilty to the 2023 killings of rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and chef Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane.
According to EWN, six of the seven accused asked for the trial to be separated, while the State has consolidated the matters because the evidence is linked. State prosecutor Elvis Gcweka opposed hearing the application immediately, saying:
“They can file their papers tomorrow. They can bring an application after the plea.”
What happened on day one of the AKA murder trial?
Proceedings before Judge Nomfundo Sipunzi were due to start at 10:00 but began at 11:30, after malfunctioning prisoner lifts delayed the accused and two of them, brothers Malusi and Siyabonga Ndimande, were transported late from Westville Prison. All seven then pleaded not guilty.
Reports differ on the separation application. Some say six accused want separate trials, while others say it concerns six extra counts against Siyanda Myeza. The matter returns to court on Tuesday, 6 October 2026.
Lynn Forbes, AKA’s mother, and Tibz’s father, Sylvester Motsoane, were among the relatives who attended court on Monday morning. Motsoane said the opening day also fell on the anniversary of his wife’s death, and Forbes said:
“I came for one, two reasons only, and that was to be here for Tibz and for Kiernan.”
What is the State’s case in the AKA murder trial?
The seven accused face 11 charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and firearm offences. Myeza faces six more counts linked to the killing of Gift Khanyile and the attempted murder of two others.
Police investigations indicate AKA was the primary target and Motsoane was killed alongside him outside a restaurant on Florida Road on 10 February 2023.
The Ndimande brothers were extradited from Eswatini in late 2025 to join five co-accused, who were denied bail earlier. The State is expected to call more than 40 witnesses, and the case was ready to go to trial long before it started.
Where to watch the AKA murder trial live
SABC News and TimesLive streamed Day 1. Judge Sipunzi has directed that witness testimony may not be broadcast live, although pleas, opening and closing statements, legal arguments, rulings and the final judgment may be covered.
She ruled that:
“media shall not publish or broadcast the evidence of witnesses while they are testifying, nor any exhibits.”
The directive also bars any disclosure of the identities or personal particulars of witnesses called by either the State or the defence. It drew criticism from Barry Bateman of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, who said:
“I trust the media will appeal this. A court cannot impose a blanket ban like this.”
What happens next in the trial
One month has been set aside for the trial, with the first stage expected to run until Friday, 6 November 2026, and a break on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, for the elections.
Earlier pretrial proceedings dealt with the case before it reached the trial stage.
Sources
- EWN, AKA murder trial: 6 accused seek trial separation in Durban High Court
- EWN, AKA, Tibz murder trial finally set to begin
- EWN, AKA murder trial: All 7 accused plead not guilty in Durban High Court
- The Citizen, AKA and Tibz murder trial: Judge bars live broadcast of witness evidence
- TimesLive, Rocky start to AKA murder trial, 'blackout' on witness identities
- TimesLive, Watch live: AKA and Tibz murder accused in court
- Briefly, AKA Murder Trial Begins in Durban as Lynn Forbes Speaks on Emotional Court Day
- Briefly, All 7 accused in AKA and Tibz murder trial plead not guilty in Durban
- The Zambian Observer, AKA's murder trial begins as 7 accused face Durban High Court
- SABC News, AKA and Tibz murder trial set to begin at Durban High Court today
- Swisher Post, Ndimande brothers surrender to SA extradition
- Swisher Post, AKA murder suspects denied bail: Here's what happens next
- Swisher Post, AKA and Tibz murder case ready to go to trial
- Swisher Post, AKA murder trial: Pretrial proceedings resume in Durban High Court
