Brothers Siyabonga Ndimande and Malusi Ndimande have been formally charged and made their first court appearance after being extradited to face murder charges in the killing of rapper AKA and his friend Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane.
According to OkayAfrica, the pair arrived in South Africa earlier after a protracted legal process in the neighbouring kingdom of Eswatini, where they had been residing and resisting extradition.
According to authorities, the Ndimande brothers face 24 separate charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, and money-laundering,.
It is reported that the two fled the country after the murder of the rapper and entrepreneur. The two were shot and killed on Durban’s Florida Road when leaving Wish Restaurant in February 2023.
At their appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court, the two appeared calm and composed, despite being shackled. The court session was heavily secured with police and Interpol involvement.
The state prosecutor, told the court the extradition process included human-rights observers from the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to ensure that the accused’s rights were respected during transfer.
In reaction to the developments, AKA’s father, Mr Tony Forbes, said he was relieved the two key suspects have finally been brought into court. “It’s been a long time coming,” he said, adding his hope that “all seven will be on trial together … in particular the brother that pulled the trigger.
The court postponed further proceedings until 25 November to allow the defence time to consult properly with their clients under the necessary security conditions.
This case remains a landmark in South African entertainment and criminal-justice history: the death of AKA sent shockwaves across the region, and the capture and extradition of two alleged key orchestrators marks a serious turning point.