KZN police dismiss reports gun used to kill AKA has been found

Police in KwaZulu-Natal have dismissed media reports alleging a firearm used in the killing of hip-hop star Kiernan “AKA” Forbes has been recovered.

This comes after reports that a man in his early 20s was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm in Umlazi, south of Durban, at the weekend.

It was reported the firearm was sent for ballistic testing and came back positive as the weapon used to gun down Forbes. 

“Some media houses, who clearly seem hell-bent to botch any police endeavours to find the killers and bring justice to the families of the victims, started the day on Tuesday morning with unsubstantiated rumours and malicious allegations about the recovery of the so-called murder weapon,” said provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Robert Netshiunda.

“This insensitive, unethical and inconsiderate reporting has great potential of arming the persons of interest with ammunition to further complicate police progress into the matter.”

He said allegations of this nature put the investigating team under undue pressure and endanger their lives.

Netshiunda said police are making another appeal to members of the media to respect the process of investigation, to refrain from publishing unfounded allegations and speculation, and to consider the unintended consequences of their actions. 

He said police are making good progress in the investigation and when the time is right the public will be informed accordingly.

“Journalists are also advised against formulating uncorroborated allegations for the sole reason of triggering a reaction or soliciting commentary from the police. The zeal to break the story should never surpass the responsibility to report truthfully and ethically.”

Forbes was gunned down outside a restaurant in Durban on February 10. Also shot dead was his lifelong friend, celebrity chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane.

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