The trial of the men accused of murdering rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and celebrity chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane will proceed separately from a related murder case involving one of the accused.
The Durban High Court has ruled that Eddie Myeza’s charges relating to a separate May 2022 shooting should be heard independently from the case involving the deaths of Forbes and Motsoane.
Myeza, accused number three, faces additional charges of murder and attempted murder linked to the 2022 incident.
Six of the seven accused had asked the court to separate the cases, arguing that keeping them together could result in unnecessary delays.
The State had opposed the application, saying the cases were linked by evidence that the same firearm was allegedly used in both shootings.
Judge Nomfundo Sipunzi nevertheless granted the application.
Myeza will stand trial separately on counts 12 to 17, which relate to the May 2022 incident, while the other six accused will continue to face counts one to 11 linked to the February 2023 murders of AKA and Tibz.
The court said its reasons for the decision would be contained in the full judgment.
Forbes and Motsoane were shot dead outside a restaurant on Durban’s Florida Road in February 2023. The high-profile case has attracted significant public attention as investigators continue to present evidence linking the accused to the killings.