Thotloetso Kutlwano Mogotsi, AKA’s photographer, testified on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, at the Durban High Court in the ongoing murder trial over the deaths of rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane. Mogotsi recounted hearing gunshots outside Wish restaurant on Florida Road, Durban, on 10 February 2023, and described the ensuing panic among the crew.
Mogotsi, part of AKA’s entourage that night, told the court he initially thought the gunfire was fireworks. He recalled a sudden sensation of heat on his left side moments after the noise. “I equated the sound to fireworks,” he testified, illustrating the confusion immediately after the shooting.
The photographer said he witnessed AKA and Tibz embrace shortly before the attack. Reports indicate that AKA may have noticed someone from his past just before the shots rang out, though this detail remains contested and has not been independently confirmed in court.
Eyewitness accounts varied regarding the location and actions of AKA’s bodyguard during the incident. Some statements raised questions about the bodyguard’s whereabouts, but these discrepancies have not been established as wrongdoing. The trial involves seven accused charged in connection with the murders.
Mogotsi described the distress that followed the shooting, saying, “That is when we saw that AKA had been hit and there was no bodily movement.” His emotional testimony shed light on the chaos and helplessness experienced by those present.
The trial has been ongoing since earlier witnesses from AKA’s entourage testified on 13 October. Proceedings were adjourned after Mogotsi’s testimony, with further evidence expected on 15 October.
This case remains under investigation, and no verdict has been reached. The testimony from Mogotsi and others provides crucial insight into the tragic events outside Wish restaurant on Florida Road, a focal point for Durban’s nightlife and music scene.