Court hears emotional testimony about AKA, Motsoane’s final moments

The trial of slain rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his friend and businessman, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane at the Durban High Court heard emotional testimony about the final moments of the pair.

The court’s 11th witness, photographer and camera operator Thotloesto Kutlwano Mogotsi who was part of the crew that came with AKA to Durban, described the panic and distress following the shooting.

Mogotsi recounted the moment that changed his life forever.

He told the court that after hearing several gunshots, they called for help.

He testified that paramedics, upon arriving at the scene, attempted multiple times to resuscitate Motsoane after noticing that Forbes was unresponsive.

The paramedics declared both Forbes and Motsoane dead at the scene.

Mogotsi also made a new revelation about the moments leading up to the shooting, telling the court that Forbes embraced Motsoane outside the restaurant for longer than usual, seemingly after spotting someone from his past whom he did not want to see.

“I saw Kiernan and Tibz embracing each other, but it was about something.

I think AKA had noticed someone from his past and he did not want that person to notice him.

So, as Tebello and AKA were hugging each other, they made a circling motion so that Tebello could get a better look at what was seen by Kiernan.” The whereabouts of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes’ bodyguard at the time of the shooting also came under renewed scrutiny in court.

Siyabonga Mdluli, Forbes’s road manager who was present when Forbes and Motsoana were shot, also gave his testimony.

Asked about the bodyguard’s whereabouts, Mdluli said he could not see him and had last seen him before the shooting began.

“When I realised he’s been shot, that’s when I looked around to find out where AKA was because at that moment I thought he had run inside with us.

Unfortunately, when I looked around, he was not there.