THE extradition of two suspects arrested in Eswatini, who are linked to rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes and celebrity chef Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane's murders has delayed the trial for the five arrested in Mzansi.
The five suspects Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi (32), Lindani Ndimande (37), Siyanda Myeza (23), Mziwethemba Gwabeni (38) and Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi (31) were set to have their pre-trial hearing in the Durban High Court on Thursday, 8 May.
The matter was adjourned to 12 June because some lawyers representing both suspects in South Africa and Eswatini were in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Eswatini for the matter relating to Malusi and Siyabonga Ndimande's extradition.
Senior state prosecutor advocate Lawrance Gcaba told the judge the state postponed the matter due to the fact that lawyers representing the five suspects, including advocate Simphiwe Mlotshwa, were in Eswatini.
Judge Jacqueline Henriques granted the postponement.
The case, which was said to be ready for trial, was transferred to the Durban High Court by the Durban Magistrates Court in February. This after the state served the five with indictments.
The five suspects, who were arrested in South Africa and the other two in Eswatini, are linked to AKA and Tibz's murders that occurred on 10 February 2023 in Florida road in Durban.
They are facing multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, murder, possession of a prohibited firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition, among others.
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South Africa and Eswatini prosecutions face a battle to extradite the duo arrested in Eswatini.
In August 2024, the Manzini Magistrates Court in Eswatini granted the extradition of the two suspects to South Africa but they made an appeal and continued to stay in Eswatini.
KZN NPA spokeswoman Natasha Ramkisson-Kara told Daily Sun Eswatini prosecution also wants the duo extradited to South Africa.
"If you remember, last year (2004) in August in Manzini, the magistrates court issued the order for the suspects there to be extradited to South Africa. However, they filed a notice to appeal the order.
"The prosecuting team believed the notice to appeal filed by the suspects was filed out of time, so they wanted the court to consider their notice of appeal as null and void. Prosecution then made an application to the court to have that application considered null and void," she said.
Natasha said in November 2024 the court found that the suspects did not file on time. Hence the dismissal of the application.
"Now, the prosecution team is taking that appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Eswatini for that decision to be reviewed," she said.
