Money trail led us to the man who deposited hit payoff: AKA detective

The detective investigating the murders of Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his friend, chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, outside Wish on Florida in February last year alleges the source of an R800,000 payoff was Durban businessman Sydney Mfunda Gcaba.

W/O Kumarasan Pillay made the allegation in an affidavit read out in the Durban magistrate’s court by prosecutor advocate Elvis Gcweka on Wednesday.

The accused are applying for bail which the  state is opposing.

Lindani Ndimande, 35, Lindokuhle Ndimande, 29, Siyanda Myeza, 21, Mziwethemba Gwabeni, 36, and Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi, 30, face 10 charges, including two counts of murder, five of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, possession of unlawful firearms and possession of unlawful ammunition.

The bail applications for the accused were heard last week where they all pleaded not guilty.

Two other accused, brothers Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande, who were arrested in Eswatini last month, are being extradited to South Africa.

In the affidavit, Pillay said Gwabeni’s bank records showed that a day after the murder, at about 2pm, he received R803,455. He said Gwabeni’s cellphone records show he made a call to a number linked to Gcaba. Shortly after this call R803,455 was transferred to Gwabeni’s bank account.

“The bank statements are attached to his affidavit but not showing the period of these transactions. The money was transferred from a bank account of the company Bright Circle,” said Pillay.

According to the company records, Gcaba is the sole director.

“When the money was transferred, a reference was used as ‘consult’. This, we are of the view, was done to disguise the nature of the funds as same is viewed to be payment for the shooting,” said Pillay.

His team is investigating the source of this and other funds that may have been used for the planning and execution of the offences, he said.

When Gwabeni transferred money, he used the reference “dividends”. Company records do not indicate that any of the co-accused were shareholders in any of his companies, said Pillay, therefore they were not entitled to any “dividends”.

“We are of the view that this reference was used as a disguise to hide the nature and source thereof, hence the state preferred charges of money laundering.”

On the same day at about 6.30pm, Gwabeni transferred R665,000 to the other accused and the two brothers in Eswatini — but excluding Myeza. He said the following amounts were transferred:

• R133,000 to Lindokuhle Ndimande’s Standard Bank account;
• R133,000 to Malusi Ndimande’s Capitec account;
• R100,000 to Lindani Ndimande’s FNB account and R33,000 into his Capitec account;
• R100,000 to Mkhwanazi’s Standard Bank account and R33,000 to his spouse Hlengiwe Princess Mkhwanazi’s Capitec account; and
• R33,000 to Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande’s Capitec account and R100,000 to an Absa account.

He said the remaining R138,455 was retained by Gwabeni.

On the same day, Pillay said Gwabeni transferred R96,000 to St Benedict School in Pinetown, where one of his children is a pupil.

“In view of the analysis of the accounts in this period and that of Gwabeni, this is the first large amount that is transferred to his account by the company. There is no evidence indicating any form of services he might have rendered to this company.“

Based on all this, the state has a prima facie case against Gwabeni, said Pillay, adding that there are no exceptional circumstances warranting his release on bail.

The case is continuing.

TimesLIVE