Also see: AKA murder trial update: Road manager testifies with new realisation
The footage reportedly captures the man following AKA at the airport before the rapper was killed in Durban on 10 February 2023. The development has renewed public interest in the movements of individuals seen near the musician in the hours leading up to his death.
AKA was shot and killed outside a restaurant on Florida Road in Durban alongside his friend and former manager, Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane.
The rapper’s murder shocked South Africa and sparked widespread calls for justice from fans, fellow musicians and the entertainment industry.
CCTV footage presented in court
The footage was played at the Durban High Court on Monday, 19 October 2026, during the trial of seven men accused of killing AKA and Tibz. A surveillance analyst from King Shaka International Airport, Sandile Khuzwayo, took the court through recordings showing AKA and his entourage moving through the airport after arriving in Durban.
The man bears a resemblance to the fourth accused, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni. However, the surveillance analyst did not formally identify him as Gwabeni during the presentation of the footage, and the defence has questioned whether the images are clear enough to establish his identity.
A surveillance analyst from King Shaka International Airport testified in the AKA and Tibz murder trial, showing footage of a person who allegedly followed rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes from the airport the same day the rapper was later shot and killed https://t.co/8scAFGbwGu
— News Live SA (@newslivesa) October 19, 2026
Also see: AKA and Tibz murder trial gets underway in Durban court
State alleges AKA was followed from the airport
The State has previously alleged that Mziwethemba followed AKA and his entourage from King Shaka International Airport to their hotel in Umhlanga. Evidence presented in earlier proceedings also focused on a grey BMW allegedly used to follow the group before the fatal shooting.
A witness previously testified that the vehicle belonged to Mziwethemba, who has disputed aspects of the State’s case through his legal representative. These allegations form part of the ongoing prosecution and have not, in themselves, established guilt.
7 Men stand accused
Seven men are standing trial in connection with AKA and Tibz’s murders, with the proceedings examining evidence intended to establish what happened before and during the shooting.
The airport footage has brought renewed attention to the movements of people around AKA on the day he died. The trial continues, with the State presenting evidence and the defence having the opportunity to challenge it.
All seven accused have pleaded not guilty.
Featured image: Instagram/@akaworldwide
