AKA’s mother Lynn Forbes describes emotional toll of Tibz’s death as trial opens

According to The South African, Lynn Forbes has spoken about the emotional impact of Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane’s death as seven men stand trial for the murders of Tibz and his friend AKA.

Emotional courtroom moments

The trial opened at the Durban High Court on Monday. Lynn Forbes sat alongside Tibz’s father, Sylvester Motsoane, and comforted him in court as proceedings focused on the deaths of their sons, The South African reports.

A personal admission

Reflecting on the killings, Forbes said:

a comment The South African attributes to her. The remark referred to her belief that AKA was the intended target of the shooting.

How Forbes is handling the trial

Forbes told reporters she will not sit through every day of the trial because listening to evidence about her son’s murder would come at a heavy emotional cost. She said in an interview:

according to The South African.

She said she intends to follow the proceedings without subjecting herself to every detail presented in court. Forbes also thanked investigators and prosecutors for getting the case to trial more than three years after the murders and pushed back against criticism over the time taken to bring the matter before court, The South African reports.

Family and public response

Forbes posted on Instagram after attending the trial, sharing another post about her late son as the case moves through court, The South African says. She added that a verdict will not change the fact that “My son’s gone,” as reported by The South African.

Forbes also addressed her daughter. “Kairo knows I am at court today, but we try not to speak too much about it to her because it is upsetting,” she said, The South African reports.

Charges and next steps

All seven accused pleaded not guilty when the trial opened. They face multiple charges including conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder and firearm-related offences, and the State alleges the men formed part of a plot to kill AKA, according to The South African. The trial is expected to continue into November, The South African reports.