{
  "id": 12550211,
  "title": "AKA and Tibz murder trial postponed after cellphone was allegedly found on accused",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/aka-and-tibz-murder-trial-postponed-after-cellphone-was-allegedly",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T05:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/mercury/news/2026-10-07-aka-and-tibz-murder-trial-postponed-after-cellphone-was-allegedly-found-on-accused/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The trial of Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes and Tebello 'Tibz' Motsoane for the murder of Forbes and Motsoane in February 2023 was postponed at the Durban High Court on Tuesday afternoon. The delay occurred after police allegedly discovered a cellphone in the possession of Mziwethemba Gwabeni, who claimed he received the device from an attorney not associated with the case. The courtroom was cleared due to a security concern arising from an officer observing an unrecorded attorney walking to court cells with a white device. Gwabeni was subsequently searched, and a Hisense Y83 cellphone was allegedly found hidden in his blazer. The cellphone was seized by police, but it remains unclear if a criminal case will arise from the incident. The accused are Gwabeni, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Myeza, Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Mkhwanazi, and Malusi Dave and Siyabonga Gezani. They are accused of shooting and killing Forbes and Motsoane on Florida road in February 2023. The trial resumed on Wednesday morning.",
  "summary": "The trial of seven men accused of murdering rapper Kiernan \"AKA\" Forbes and businessman Tebello \"Tibz\" Motsoane has been postponed. According to IOL, the court was cleared after police allegedly found a cellphone hidden on one of the accused, Mziwethemba Gwabeni.\n\nThe trial is set to resume on Wednesday. The court had previously granted an application for the separation of trials, brought by accused number one, Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi, on behalf of himself and five other accused, SABC News reported.\n\nThe separation of trials relates to accused number three, Siyanda Myeza, who faces additional charges including the 2022 murder of a taxi owner in Mayville, two counts of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and theft of a motor vehicle.",
  "key_points": [
    "Trial of AKA Forbes and Tibz Motsoane postponed in Durban High Court",
    "Cellphone found on Mziwethemba Gwabeni, allegedly from attorney",
    "Gwabeni searched, cellphone seized but criminal case unclear"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "SABC News",
        "title": "Seven men accused of killing AKA and Tibz return to court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/seven-men-accused-of-killing-aka-and-tibz-return-to-court",
        "published": "2026-10-07T03:53:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}