AKA Murder Trial Witness Describes Gun Seizure As Defendant Denies Possession

AKA’s murder trial heard fresh testimony Monday about a disputed gun seizure as a retired police officer identified defendant Siyanda Eddie Myeza and said he had personally recovered a firearm from him.

The testimony gave prosecutors another account connecting Myeza to a weapon they allege was used in the killings of the South African rapper and his friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane.

Through his lawyer, Myeza denied having the gun and said police found it under a sofa.

According to SABC News, the officer told the Durban High Court that he searched Myeza and found a gun whose serial number had been removed. He also confirmed that Myeza was injured when arrested, supporting an account the court heard earlier in the trial.

Eyewitness News reported that Myeza challenged the officer’s account that the gun was at his waist. He also disputed how many people police arrested during the operation.

“Seven people were arrested on that night for the two firearms,” defense lawyer Simphiwe Mlotshwa said. The officer maintained that police arrested two people.

The disagreement followed questions about the search itself. Last week, Myeza’s lawyers challenged police over the lack of a search warrant. An officer said the team believed the suspect was armed and argued that waiting for a warrant would have delayed an urgent operation.

Prosecutors allege the recovered weapon was one of two guns used when AKA, whose real name was Kiernan Forbes, and Motsoane were killed outside a restaurant on Durban’s Florida Road on February 10, 2023.

They also allege a ballistic link to the 2022 killing of taxi boss Gift Khanyile.

Those claims link evidence from two attacks, but the court is handling the charges separately. Last week, Judge Nomfundo Sipunzi ordered Myeza to face six additional counts linked to the earlier case in a separate trial. He remains among the seven defendants in the AKA and Tibz case. All seven pleaded not guilty when the trial began October 5.

Monday’s session also lost three hours to a power outage and a prisoner-lift malfunction. Proceedings began at 12:30 P.M., rather than 9:30 A.M., before the fifth prosecution witness took the stand.

The court’s reporting restrictions protect witness identities. Sipunzi changed an earlier directive last week to let the media report their evidence, while keeping their names and personal details out of coverage.

The first trial session was scheduled through November 6, with a further session planned for April 2027. The officer finished his testimony on Monday, and another witness was expected on Tuesday, October 13.