Latest news with #KwaZulu-NatalNationalProsecutingAuthority
The South African
6 days ago
- The South African
AKA & Tibz murder trial dates revealed amid courtroom drama
Trial dates have been issued in the murder case of Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (AKA) and Tebello Motsoane (Tibz). The five men arrested in connection with the murders appeared in the Durban High Court on Wednesday, 13 August. Award-winning musician AKA and his friend, celebrity chef Tibz, were shot and killed outside a restaurant on Durban's Florida Road in 2023. KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the matter was postponed to allow the parties to address outstanding pre-trial issues. A trial judge must still be appointed. 'The trial dates are 20 July to 21 August 2026, and 5 October to 6 November 2026,' said Ramkisson-Kara. Proceedings saw some drama earlier in the day when Judge Jacqueline Henriques reprimanded both the state and defence for the slow pace of the pre-trial process. As a result, the case was not certified as trial-ready. Henriques also called out the state for failing to share documents with the defence, including witness statements. Defence counsel Advocate Simphiwe Mlotshwa also indicated he was considering an application to compel the state to disclose witness statements. According to TimesLIVE , the state is expected to call 45 witnesses. The case was postponed to 19 June 2026. The accused – Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, and Lindokuhle Lindo Ndimande – are aged between 21 and 36. Two other accused remain in custody in Eswatini. They face multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, attempted murder, and firearm- and ammunition-related offences. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
TimesLIVE
05-07-2025
- TimesLIVE
DNA links child serial rapist across provinces, results in three life sentences
A serial child rapist who asked for three life sentences to run concurrently was turned down to ensure he would not be eligible for parole after 25 years. The Madadeni regional court in KwaZulu-Natal sentenced Elphius Elias Shabangu, 38, to life imprisonment for the rape of an 11-year-old girl in June 2024 near the Theku Plaza in Madadeni. According to evidence led during the trial, Shabangu who didn't know the girl, approached her and her siblings on June 28 while they were selling sugar cane near the roadside. The children were visiting their aunt in Madadeni. KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said he sent the siblings to a nearby shop, leaving him alone with the complainant. He then ordered her to go with him to a nearby vacant house where he raped her twice. Shabangu then fled the scene, leaving the complainant alone. When her siblings returned to their original spot they found their sister missing and reported this to their family. The girl was eventually assisted back to her aunt's home by someone from the community. She told her aunt what happened and her aunt saw her thighs were covered in blood. They reported the case to the police and the child was taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC). The doctor at the TCC noted severe injuries on both her private parts and DNA evidence retrieved from the girl was sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis and comparison. Ramkisson-Kara said as Shabangu was unknown to the girl, he managed to evade justice. 'However, Shabangu was arrested a few months later in Mpumalanga in connection with the rape of two minor children, and his DNA linked him to the case in Madadeni. He was subsequently charged. He pleaded guilty to all three counts of rape. 'In Mpumalanga, he was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment. In the Madadeni regional court, prosecutor Khethiwe Kunene led the testimony of the complainant's aunt, who told the court that the complainant has changed drastically since the incident. She has become withdrawn and fearful. The court sentenced Shabangu to life imprisonment, and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm. Also, the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.' Through his attorney, Shabangu made an application for the Madadeni life sentence to run concurrently with the life sentences in Mpumalanga. 'However, the presiding officer refused the application, citing this would enable Shabangu to be eligible for parole after 25 years. The court mentioned Shabangu is not deserving of this opportunity, considering his cruel and inhumane actions towards young innocent children. This sentence will thus run consecutively to the Mpumalanga sentence.' She said the imposition of the life sentence and the court's refusal of Shabangu's application underscored the gravity of the crimes committed. 'Sexual offences will not be tolerated in our society and will be met with the full force of the law. The NPA remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold the rule of law and pursue justice for victims of crimes, especially the most vulnerable.'
