By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Eswatini Magistrate Court has granted South Africa extradition of the two brothers implicated in the murders of Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane.
Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande appeared in the Manzini District Court in Eswatini of Friday.
In March, the South African Department of Justice filed a 250-page extradition document in a bid to extradite the brothers back into the country.
The request is made in terms of the Extradition Treaty between South Africa and Eswatini dated October 4, 1968, and in terms of the SADC Protocol on Extradition dated October 3, 2002, to which both countries are signatories.
During their last court appearance, State prosecutor Macebo Nxumalo told the court that there was no reason to keep the brothers in eSwatini.
Nxumalo gave the court reasons as to why the Ndimande brothers should be sent back to South Africa.
Magistrate, David Khumalo, granted South Africa’s request for their extradition.
“The evidence disclosed by the applicants as linking the respondents in the commission of the offence constitutes sufficient reason to extradite,” he found.
Siyabonga and Malusi were arrested while hiding in a house in Eswatini on Saturday, 24 February, on criminal charges relating to the AKA case.
The two will join the other five accused charged with the murders, who currently in prison in South Africa.
Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi (30), Lindani Ndimande (35), Siyanda Myeza (21), Mziwethemba Gwabeni (36) and Lindokuhle Ndimande (29) faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition and five counts of attempted murder.
AKA (35) and Motsoane (41) were fatally shot on 10 February 2023 outside the restaurant Wish on Florida on Durban’s Florida Road.
The shooting was captured on CCTV footage widely circulated on social media. It showed Forbes and Motsoane leaving the restaurant when they were approached by two armed men, who crossed the street and shot them at close range.
AKA was an award-winning, bestselling South African hip-hop artist. Motsoane was an entrepreneur and celebrity chef. The murders attracted international attention, and police allocated top detectives to track down the killers and bring them to book.