South African police say they have arrested six people over the murder last year of one of the country’s hottest rap artists, Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA.

South Africa’s Police Minister Bheki Cele while addressing a press conference in Durban, said “Six people have been arrested that will appear in court on Thursday”.

He said the oldest suspect was 36 and that others could be added to the list.

Provincial police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi told reporters that the “mastermind”, two gunmen, two spotters and “the organiser of firearms and vehicles” were all in custody.

Several of those arrested were linked to separate murder cases, he said, and two had been held in the neighbouring landlocked country of Eswatini.

Police worked with Interpol and the Eswatini government to arrest two people “hiding” there and extradition procedures would be started, the commissioner said.

Mkhwanazi said police had a suspicion of the motive but would not discuss the matter.

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The 35-year-old Kiernan Forbes was gunned down on February 10, 2023 while walking with a friend outside a popular Durban restaurant hours before he was to perform at a nearby club.

It was revealed that the rapper had been followed from his time of arrival at Durban airport to the restaurant.