AKA and Tibz murder suspects finally extradited to South Africa after months on the run

Two brothers, Siyabonga and Malusi Ndimande, who were arrested in Eswatini for their alleged involvement in the murders of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his close friend, chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, have finally been extradited to South Africa.

The pair landed at King Shaka International Airport on Tuesday, 11 November 2025, after the Eswatini authorities approved their extradition request.

Their return follows months of legal delays after the siblings initially opposed being sent back to South Africa.

However, they later withdrew their appeal, clearing the way for the extradition order to take effect.

The Ndimande brothers now face a total of 24 criminal charges connected to three separate violent incidents.

According to SAPS National Spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the charges include the high-profile killings of AKA and Tibz, as well as the murder of a taxi boss in Amanzimtoti in 2022 and an attempted hit on the wife of another taxi boss.

“You’ll recall that they are wanted in three cases; the first being the murder of a taxi boss in Amanzimtoti in 2022, where they’re facing five charges. The second case is that of AKA and Tibz, where they’re facing about 11 charges. The third case was also in Durban, where they attempted to kill the wife of a taxi boss. They are facing about eight charges in that particular case. They also murdered the taxi boss’ driver. So, in total 24 charges,” Brigadier Mathe told eNCA.

Police believe that one of the brothers extradited from Eswatini was the gunman who shot and killed AKA outside a Durban restaurant in February 2023.

“What is interesting is that we do believe that one of the two brothers that we are extraditing today from Eswatini is maybe one of them that actually pulled the trigger and shot AKA. So, it’s quite an important moment for us,” Mathe added.

The SAPS spokesperson expressed confidence in the evidence gathered so far, saying it strongly links the suspects to all three crime scenes.

“We’re quite confident that the evidence that we have gathered is enough to really ensure a successful conviction. We can positively place them on the crime scene where AKA and Tibz died, as well as the matter of the taxi boss, as well as the attempted murder of the wife of the taxi boss,” she said.

A video shared by the South African Police Service shows the Ndimande brothers being escorted in leg irons at King Mswati III International Airport before boarding a private jet under heavy security.

The siblings, who had previously claimed they feared for their lives if extradited, will now stand trial in South Africa, with proceedings expected to begin in July 2026.