By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
One of the accused in the Kiernana “AKA” Forbes and Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane murder case, Mziwethemba Gwabeni, who was previously pinpointed as the orchestrator and mastermind, has admitted to have received the R800 000 paid into his business account but denied it was for the murder of the rapper as stated by the State.
Gwabeni, 36, made this admission in his bail affidavit that was read out in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
During his bail application hearing, the court heard that Gwabeni is a Durban-based businessman.
“I shall now deal with the allegation, certainly as stated in the media, that I received R800 000.00 the day that the deceased were killed and that I transferred R133 000.00 to Lindokuhle Ndimande. Once again, the State is relying upon coincidence. I do not know anyone by the name of Sphamandla Ngcobo. The R803 000.00 was paid to me from a reputable company, whom I have done business with before. In fact, our business relationship goes back as early as three years back. Given the above, I record that the investigations shall reveal that this was not a once-off payment as alleged,” read the affidavit.
According to the accused his businesses make a turnover of hundreds of thousands to millions monthly.
“The basis upon which the state bases its case is premised on a self-created conspiracy theory regarding the sequence of events that led to the killing of the deceased,” Gwabeni’s affidavit read.
Furthermore, the suspect said he gave permission for the state to look through his banking transactions.
“To give credence to my submission I challenge the state to have results to my bank statements. I reiterate that the above mentioned payments that were made – were paid in respect to consultant work.”
Two of the suspects Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi and Siyanda Eddie Myeza had their bail application affidavits read before Judge Vincent Hlatshwayo on Friday.
Subsequently, Lindani Ndimande presented his bail application on Monday.
The three suspects who have had their bail affidavits read thus far have stated that they will not plead guilty.
Furthermore, Mkhwanazi, Myeza and Ndimande are all under the notion that the state presents a weak case founded on circumstantial evidence.
Gwabeni was the last accused to have his bail affidavit read.
AKA was brazenly gunned down last year along with his friend Tibz on Durban’s Florida Road last year.
The five suspects face multiple charges including conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and five counts of attempted murder.
The matter was adjourned to March 27 for the State to present its evidence in the bail application.
Two other suspects, the Ndimande brothers Siyabonga “Nxele” Ndimande and Malusi “Mjay” Ndimande, await the finalisation of their extradition to South Africa from eSwatini.
The Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services confirmed that Minister Ronald Lamola approved the extradition of the two suspects to join their five co-accused counterparts.