The family of legendary South African hitmaker, Kiernan “AKA” Forbes have condemned conspiracy theories that people in his circle were responsible for his death.
AKA and long-time friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, were gunned down as they were leaving the Wish Restaurant, in Florida Road in Durban on Friday.
Speaking at a short media briefing on Tuesday, AKA’s father, Tony Forbes, said they did not condone the comments which were being spread like wild fire on social media.
“We do not condone what is being said about his friends and those making dangerous statements. We We appeal to them to cease from doing so,” Forbes said.
Ever since the CCTV video footage of the murder was leaked online, amateur social media detectives have gone into overdrive, making unfounded allegations against some of AKA’s friends who were with him when he was assassinated.
It was not long, however, before social media detectives honed in on AKA’s friend, creative director, DJ and fashion designer Don Design, who was captured on CCTV footage outside the restaurant moments before AKA was shot and killed.
Forbes said AKA’s friends who were with him on the night he was killed, have been supportive following the tragedy.
“They have extended themselves beyond expectations. They have really really really gone out of their way to support us,” Forbes added.
An earlier IOL report quoted KZN Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi condemning the naming of a person as a suspect. He explained that doing so was dangerous and could put people like Don Design, in harm’s way.
“They might endanger the lives of those individuals that they are putting the names out as suspects, which they themselves would not want people to come and accuse them of a crime if there is no evidence,” Mkhwanazi said.
“We are encouraging people to share information but to name people as suspects is dangerous. It’s dangerous because it might attract something that we don’t want, and if someone is hurt as a result, we will have no other means but to go back to those people that are mentioning other people’s name on public platforms.
“And they might have been the cause of any hurt that other people might experience going forward,” he said.
Some of AKA’s close friends including Da Les and Yanga Chief also slammed those accusing Don Design of being involved in the AKA murder.
In a statement posted on social media on Tuesday, the Forbes family said his funeral would take place on Saturday, February 18.
A memorial service will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre on Friday, February 17 at 3pm.
Limited tickets are available via Webtickets and the memorial service will be live-streamed on the AKA Worldwide YouTube page.
“We as the Forbes family would like to acknowledge the outpouring of love we have received over the past few days. Kiernan wasn’t just loved by us as a family, but by the nation as we’ve seen from the loved ones, friends industry colleagues, media tributes and the Megacy,” the family said.
The memorial service of entertainment entrepreneur, seasoned chef and celebrated author, Motsoane, will take place on Thursday at Sacred Heart College in Observatory, Joburg.
No arrests have been made, yet.
IOL