Police believe evidence gathered in the investigation of the shooting death of South African rapper AKA, 35, suggests his murder was an assassination.
AKA, whose real name was Kiernan Forbes, was fatally shot in the head outside of a restaurant in the coastal city of Durban on February 10. His close friend, celebrity chef Tibz Motsoane, was also killed in the shooting incident.
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According to KwaZulu-Natal police chief Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, AKA was shot at close range in the side of the head after a gunman approached him from behind. A second gunman purportedly fired multiple shots after the fact in an attempt to disperse on-lookers from the scene of the hit.
According to multiple reports, police believe they know the identity of the two shooters and are working on using the suspect’s data to track their movements ahead of the shooting. Police officials are also working to confirm the identities of all individuals at the scene of the shooting in Durban.
Police Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi recently gave an update on the investigation, revealing that while AKA was the target, almost any bystander present during the shooting could’ve been taken out.
“We know that the aim was to first kill AKA, and the second suspect could have killed any other [person] because they fired a couple of shots – so anybody who was on the way could have been hit,” Mkhwanazi said.
AKA will be laid to rest on February 18 following a memorial service open to the public on February 17 at The Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. In a statement from Kiernan Forbes, the victim’s father, Forbes requested fans and social media users refrain from speculation surrounding AKA’s shooting death and focus on giving his son “a dignified send-off,” instead.
Scenes outside the Sandton Convention Centre #AKAMemorialService #LongLiveSupaMega pic.twitter.com/3wgPXO6I19
— Shazi (@NkosinathiShazi) February 17, 2023
According to data from the Institute for Security Studies, contract killings in South Africa are on the rise. They usually involve multiple assailants and targets and are often linked to organized crime and gang activity. In most cases, the assailants are hired by a third party to carry out the murder in exchange for a financial reward or other benefits.
Watch the in-depth exclusive regarding the investigation of AKA’s death below.
After beginning his career in 2004 as a part of the rap trio Entity, who was nominated for Best African Rap Group at the 2005 KORA Awards, AKA went on to become a successful solo artist. Over the years AKA earned multiple accolades including nominations for a Black Entertainment Television (BET) Award in the US and an MTV Europe Music Award. Hours before his untimely death, AKA posted to his personal social media account to promote his upcoming album entitled Mass Country. Despite his death, AKA’s album is expected to arrive posthumously later this month.
Hollywood Unlocked extends our condolences to the family and close friends of the late rapper.