Moses Tembe says AKA’s death robbed him and family of getting to the truth of what happened with Anele’s death.
Moses Tembe, the father of Anele Tembe, claims that the murder of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes has prevented his family from receiving closure and learning what transpired on the night his daughter passed away.
“Kiernan’s murder has robbed me and my family of the opportunity to get to the bottom of what happened at the Pepperclub Hotel on the fateful night that Anele died – something that I and my family have been fighting for over the last 22 months,” Tembe said.
At the time of the celebrated artist’s passing in April 2021, Anele Tembe was a part of their partnership. According to reports, the 22-year-old died after jumping from the 10th floor of the Pepper Club hotel in Cape Town.
Moses Tembe says AKA’s death robbed him and family of getting to the truth of what happened with Anele’s death
Tembe responded to a news that the family had sent a critical letter to the National Prosecuting Authority over their decision not to press charges.
The letter accused AKA of pushing Anele off the balcony, saying that his statements were made up, and that the evidence was disregarded. It also blamed AKA for the death.
“Ever since the devastating loss of my beloved daughter, Anele, in April 2021, I have sought to get to the truth behind the events that led to her untimely and premature death.
“I have done so by engaging the legal authorities and following due process in the knowledge that the legal process would vindicate my beloved daughter and prove to the world what I and the rest of my family have always known, that Anele was not suicidal and had never harboured thoughts of suicide,” Tembe said.
Tembe further denied claims that he had a hand in the rapper’s murder.
“Firstly, I know all too well the unbearable and unending pain of losing a child and it is something that no parent should ever have to experience. I reached out to the Forbes family to extend my condolences on their loss as soon as I heard about Kiernan’s murder.
“They were gracious in their receipt of my condolences, as they have been throughout the last 22 months,” he said.
Tembe said “it is therefore deeply disheartening to note the scurrilous, absolutely unfounded and baseless rumours doing the rounds regarding my ‘role’ in Kiernan’s death”.
“I never judged Kiernan. I and my family demonstrated our love for him to his very last day. My relationship with his family, too, has always been amicable, so the unfounded and baseless speculation that I had a hand in Kiernan’s death is deeply hurtful to not only me and my family, but also the Forbes’ family during this very difficult and painful time,” he said.
Since April 2021, Tembe said, he has hoped that those responsible for this horrible act will be brought to justice and that the truth will come to light so that the Forbes family can have comfort, closure, and justice.
“It remains our intention to continue our search for truth about the circumstances that led to Anele’s untimely death. In this regard, we will continue to work with the authorities until we find justice.
“I also wish to place on record that the leaking of quotes, which have been erroneously attributed to me in the media and public, is regrettable. This is the only official statement I will be making and will not comment on this matter further publicly,” Tembe concluded.
