Anele Tembe's father, Moses Tembe, says rapper, Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes's murder has robbed his family of gaining closure and finding out what happened on the night his daughter died.
"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.
Anele Tembe had been in a relationship with the award-winning artist at the time of her death in April 2021. The 22-year-old reportedly jumped to her death from the 10th floor of the Pepper Club hotel in Cape Town.
Tembe issued a statement on the back of a report claiming that the family had issued a scathing letter to the National Prosecuting Authority on their decision not to prosecute.
The letter placed blame on AKA for Anele's death, alleging that he shoved her off the balcony, statements were fabricated and evidence was ignored.
"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.
Tembe said since April 2021, it had been his hope that he perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice and that the truth becomes known so that the Forbes’ family can find consolation and closure, and get 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.
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