Rapper AKA – real name Kiernan Jarryd Forbes – was laid to rest in a private funeral at Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg on Saturday, February 18. The tombstone at his gravesite, however, went missing just a few days later. Visitors to the site were shocked to discover that there was no tombstone on the gravesite.
There was fast speculation that it had been stolen, according to The Citizen. In response to the publication, Josh Kenp, Operations Manager at Authentic Stones, confirmed the tombstone wasn’t stolen.
The gravestone was taken down after the burial, he claimed, and the family was well aware of this. Kenp went on to say that the gravestone was taken down to stop it from settling into the earth. The gravestone was only present for the funeral on Saturday to be unveiled; it was then taken away.
To prevent the tombstone from sinking if it were erected on Saturday, Kenp said that after the burial, a concrete foundation must be laid before the gravestone can be installed on top of it.
He also clarified the variations in laws amongst cemeteries. “We have to install it throughout the week where we will pour concrete foundation since the burial is already done at the Westpark Cemetery where AKA has been laid to rest because you cannot conduct installations there immediately after the funeral and you cannot do installations on Weekends.”
The cemetery granted special permission to install the late rapper’s gravestone right away. “We will place it back again either this week or next week,” said Kenp.
The 35-year-old Fela in Versace hitmaker and Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, a famous chef, were mercilessly shot to death on Friday, February 10, outside Wish Restaurant on Florida Road in Durban. Brigadier Vela Cele will lead the inquiry into the duo’s murder, Police Minister Bheki Cele announced during the release of the Quarter 3 Crime Statistics on Friday, February 17.
As of yet, no arrests have been made.