AKA’s Dad Tony Forbes Calls Out Bheki Cele’s ‘Lies’ Over Anele Tembe Case “Kiernan Wasn’t A murderer”

The father of the late rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, Tony Forbes, has hit back at former Police Minister Bheki Cele following his shocking remarks in Parliament linking AKA to the death of his late fiancée, Anele Tembe.

Cele made the allegations while testifying before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating alleged corruption in the criminal justice system on Thursday, 23 October 2025. He claimed police never ruled out murder in Tembe’s death and suggested that prosecutors declined to take the case to trial — a comment that reignited speculation around AKA’s involvement.

Tony Forbes: “It’s hurtful. Kiernan can’t defend himself.”

In an interview with eNCA on Friday, 24 October, Tony Forbes expressed deep frustration over Cele’s comments, saying they unfairly painted his late son as a killer.

“It’s just reopened the wounds, and Kiernan was spoken of as a murderer again. It’s very unfair. It’s hurtful. He’s not here to defend himself,” he said.
“I wish that the NPA could just set the record straight.”

Tony confirmed that the inquest into Anele Tembe’s death will still go ahead, adding that his family intends to present evidence to clear AKA’s name.

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“The right place for this to clear out is in the inquest. Kiernan passed away before it happened, but it’s not too late. We will still go there with the facts so there’s a balanced discussion — not one-sided statements like what we heard yesterday.”

“Kiernan was not a murderer”

Tony dismissed suggestions that AKA killed Anele Tembe, describing his son as a loving and gentle person. “There’s no doubt Kiernan was not a murderer. Two weeks before Anele died, he went to ask for her hand in marriage. Kiernan was not aggressive. He would never have done that.”

Tony Forbes also addressed the long-standing rumour that he once snubbed Bheki Cele after AKA’s death. He denied this, claiming instead that Cele fabricated parts of the story.

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“As for our relationship, we spoke at the airport that morning and went our separate ways in Durban. He never came to the house as he said,” Forbes clarified.
“I’m surprised the committee didn’t interrogate what the ex-minister said more robustly.”

Forbes added that at no point did investigators ever tell him the police suspected Kiernan of murder. “The police never indicated that they believed Kiernan killed Anele Tembe,” he concluded.

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