SHOCKING NEW DETAILS: Eyewitnesses & AKA's Frantic Call Unveiled in Anele Tembe Inquest!
The inquest into the death of Anele Tembe, rapper AKA's fiancée, began with emotional testimonies from hotel staff, police, and a neighbour. Witnesses recounted AKA's frantic call for security, a heated argument, a scream, and the discovery of Tembe's body, still alive, after a fatal fall from a Cape Town hotel. The court heard details of the disordered hotel room, AKA's admission of an argument, and a neighbour's efforts to comfort Tembe in her final moments.
The inquest into the death of Anele Tembe, fiancée of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, commenced at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, examining the circumstances surrounding her fatal fall from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel on 11 April 2021. The formal hearing, which is explicitly noted not to be a criminal trial, began on Monday, 7 September, with six witnesses testifying, including police officers, hotel staff, and a neighbour.
A hotel employee, who recognized Forbes' voice from previous stays, testified that moments before Tembe's fall, Forbes made a frantic phone call to the hotel, urgently requesting security and stating that someone was on the balcony. While still on the line, the employee heard a scream followed by a loud bang. A colleague then looked outside and saw Tembe's body on the ground below, prompting the employee and security staff to rush to the scene.
Neighbour Robert Stefanutto, staying at The Sentinel hotel parallel to the Pepperclub, provided crucial testimony. He recalled hearing a heated argument between a man and a woman near the hotel around 7:30 am on 11 April 2021. The woman, identified as Anele Tembe, repeatedly shouted, “Leave me alone, get away from me.” Shortly after, Stefanutto heard a wailing sound, then a loud bang. He then heard a man, AKA, shout, “My God, my God.” From his own balcony, he saw Anele's body on the pavement and AKA standing on his hotel room balcony. Stefanutto immediately rushed downstairs, discovering Anele's naked body covered by a sheet placed by a hotel employee. Despite the fall, Tembe was still alive; her eyes were open, and blood was coming from her mouth. Her left leg was broken. Stefanutto asked her to blink if she could hear him, and she did. He attempted CPR, wiped blood from her face, and comforted her, telling her not to be afraid and that paramedics were en route. He even prayed with her, which seemed to calm her. Paramedics eventually arrived and tried to resuscitate her after she went into cardiac arrest, but her injuries were too severe, and she was declared deceased at the scene.
Police officers also testified about the scene inside the hotel room shared by Forbes and Tembe. One officer described the room as appearing disordered, with what looked like blood on the bedding, towels, and around a champagne bottle. A chair and cigarette butts were also found on the balcony. The officer stated that Forbes informed police that he and Tembe had argued during the night. While Forbes did not appear physically injured, the officer noted the smell of alcohol on him.
Stefanutto later expressed concerns regarding AKA's actions immediately after the fall. He testified that AKA remained in his hotel room between the time of Tembe’s fall and her death, reportedly advised by his entourage not to go downstairs. Stefanutto questioned why Forbes did not come down, suggesting it might have been due to fear of being recognized, as Forbes had seen him on the balcony across from his room. Stefanutto also revealed that he had initially found it difficult to give a statement to the police, waiting for contact that never came until Moses Tembe’s attorney assisted him in submitting a detailed account days later, hinting at possible foul play. The inquest follows a police investigation into the incident, with prosecutors referring the matter for this formal hearing, which is not a criminal trial.