Nomonde Zondi|Published
The State in the murder trial of Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane intends to present evidence linking a white Mercedes-Benz recovered in Cato Manor less than a month after the pair were gunned down to a vehicle seen near the shooting scene on Florida Road.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Lawrence Gcaba placed this on record in the Durban High Court on Monday afternoon, telling the court that the Mercedes-Benz was recovered on March 6, 2023.
The vehicle was allegedly used as a getaway vehicle by the two gunmen, who fled on foot after fatally shooting AKA and Tibz outside Wish restaurant on February 10, 2023. CCTV footage showed the men running across the road towards the park in the direction of Gordon Road, where the Mercedes-Benz had allegedly been parked.
“Did you attend the scene where the Mercedes was recovered?” Gcaba asked Constable Rajen Saunder.
Saunder, who began testifying last week, confirmed that he had attended the recovery scene. He told the court that he observed similarities between the Mercedes-Benz seen in the Florida Road footage and the vehicle recovered in March.
“Similarities were there. It had tinted windows, the left headlight was not working. The rims were similar to the one on the footage and it also had a panoramic roof,” Saunder testified.
The police officer previously told the court that he began extracting CCTV footage linked to the murders on February 11, 2023, the day after the killings.
During his testimony, he identified two vehicles of interest seen on Florida Road on the night of February 10: a white Mercedes-Benz and a Volkswagen Polo Vivo.
Saunder identified Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Ndimande as a passenger in the Polo Vivo. Footage played in court showed Ndimande entering Wish restaurant and allegedly sitting in a position from which he could observe Forbes and his entourage while they were having dinner.
Ndimande was identified as an alleged spotter by investigating officer Kumarasan “Bob” Pillay during a bail application in 2024.
The footage also showed people sitting on benches in the park opposite Wish restaurant.
Previous witnesses, who said they had been returning from church on February 10, testified that they had been sitting on the benches after attending a youth service when they noticed two men wearing bucket hats and balaclavas crossing the road towards the restaurant.
The witnesses said one of their friends remarked that the men appeared to be going to commit a robbery. Shortly after the pair crossed the road, the witnesses heard gunshots.
They testified that they then saw one of the men running back towards the park in the direction of McDonald’s while carrying what they described as a silver firearm.
“I remember seeing one of them cross the road and then moments after I heard gunshots,” Witness X, who cannot be named, testified.
Seven men are on trial for the murders of AKA and Tibz they are: Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Ndimande, and brothers Malusi Dave and Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande.
The defence is expected to begin cross-examining Saunder on Tuesday.