A major development has emerged in the high-profile murder trial of rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes and his close friend, celebrity chef Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane, after the Durban High Court ruled that part of the case against one of the accused will be heard separately from the main trial.
The decision was handed down on Tuesday after six of the seven accused successfully applied to have certain charges against co-accused Eddie Myeza separated from the proceedings relating to the murders of AKA and Tibz.
The court heard that all seven accused are standing trial in connection with the fatal shooting of AKA and Tibz outside a popular restaurant on Durban's Florida Road in February 2023, a case that shocked South Africa and attracted widespread public attention.
However, Myeza faces additional charges linked to a separate incident that allegedly occurred in May 2022. Those charges include murder, attempted murder and related offences arising from an unrelated case. Prosecutors had previously consolidated the matters, arguing that evidence suggested the same firearm was used in both incidents.
The defence argued that combining the cases could unnecessarily prolong the murder trial and prejudice the other accused, who are not implicated in the 2022 matter. Lawyers representing the six accused maintained that hearing evidence related solely to Myeza's separate case would complicate proceedings and lead to delays.
In her ruling, Judge Nomfundo Sipunzi sided with the defence and ordered that Myeza's charges relating to the May 2022 incident be separated from the charges connected to the murders of AKA and Tibz. The judge indicated that detailed reasons for the decision would be provided when the court delivers its full judgment.
The ruling means Myeza will face a separate trial on counts linked to the 2022 incident, while the remaining accused will continue to stand trial together on charges relating to the deaths of AKA and Tibz.
The murder trial formally got underway this week, with all seven accused pleading not guilty to charges that include murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and firearm-related offences.
For the families of AKA and Tibz, the proceedings represent another significant step in a quest for answers more than three years after the pair were gunned down in one of South Africa's most closely watched murder cases.
The trial is expected to continue in the coming days as prosecutors begin presenting evidence aimed at linking the accused to the killings, while defence teams prepare to challenge the state's case.
