Fresh evidence in the murder trial of South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes has brought renewed attention to the alleged network behind his killing.
The evidence presented in the Durban High Court on Friday, October 23, 2026 included CCTV footage from King Shaka International Airport and locations in Durban that Forbes visited on February 10, 2023, the day he and his friend, celebrity chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, were shot dead.
According to reports from the proceedings, state witnesses described how individuals allegedly monitored Forbes as he travelled from the airport to his hotel and subsequently visited establishments on Florida Road, where the fatal shooting occurred.
The reported payment structure has also drawn attention to allegations of financial arrangements surrounding the killings.
However, the claim that an unidentified mastermind paid R10 million to organise the murder, as well as the detailed allocation of that sum, could not be independently confirmed from the latest court reports reviewed.
Earlier proceedings heard allegations that approximately R803,000 was transferred to accused Mziwethemba Gwabeni by Bright Circle Ltd, a company linked in the state’s evidence to businessman Sydney Mfundo Gcaba, the day after the killings.
The state alleged that the payment was connected to the murders, while Gwabeni disputed the allegation and maintained that the money related to legitimate business activities.
Alleged payment breakdown
A breakdown circulating alongside the latest claims alleges that the money was distributed through an intermediary and a recruiter before reaching the gunmen.
Under that account, the alleged intermediary was to receive R10 million, while R800,000 was reportedly allocated to a recruiter responsible for finding the hitmen.
The account further claims that R160,000 was earmarked for four gunmen, amounting to R40,000 each.
These figures have not been independently established as the complete payment structure presented by the prosecution in the ongoing trial.
At the current indicative exchange rate of approximately ₦81.10 to R1, R40,000 is worth about ₦3.24 million, while R10 million is worth approximately ₦811 million.
Seven men are standing trial in connection with the murders and related offences.
All seven have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial continues at the Durban High Court as the prosecution presents evidence intended to establish the alleged roles of the accused and the circumstances surrounding the killings.
