Anele Tembe Inquest: Police Witness Recalls AKA’s Behaviour After She Fell From Cape Town Hotel
- A police officer who responded to the Pepper Club Hotel testified at the inquest into Anele Tembe's 2021 death
- The warrant officer told the court that AKA appeared composed and did not seem upset after Tembe's fatal fall from the 10th floor
- Details also emerged about what investigators found inside the hotel room the couple had shared that night
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Source: Instagram
A Cape Town police officer who responded to the Pepper Club Hotel on the morning Anele Tembe died has testified that her fiancé, rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes, showed no visible signs of distress at the scene.
Tembe, who was 22 years old, died in April 2021 after falling from the 10th floor of the hotel, where she had been staying with Forbes. The inquest, being heard at the Cape Town Magistrates' Court, is examining the circumstances surrounding her death. Six witnesses were called to take the stand, with the court ordering that their identities remain confidential.
Officer describes AKA's behaviour after Anele Tembe fell
The second witness, a warrant officer specialising in unnatural death cases, was among the first police to arrive at the hotel that morning. He told the court that the Touch My Blood hitmaker informed police the couple had argued verbally earlier and that Tembe had threatened to jump from the balcony. Forbes reportedly told officers he had not believed his then-fiancée would follow through on the threat.
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When describing Forbes' state at the time, the officer was direct.
"Mr Forbes looked fine," he said, noting that officers could also detect alcohol on the rapper.
When Tembe's family lawyer pressed the officer on whether Forbes had shown any emotional response, asking whether he had cried, the officer replied:
"He didn't look sad, to be honest; he looked quite fine."
The officer was careful to add context, drawing on his experience with similar cases.
"I've dealt with a lot of cases; some people will cry, others will be quiet," he said. "Mr Forbes was quite fine, but people react differently to loss of a loved one."
What investigators found inside the hotel room
The same officer also gave the court a detailed account of the state of the hotel room shared by Forbes and Tembe. He described it as untidy, with items scattered throughout. A bloodstain was located on the bed, and a champagne bottle was found resting on a chair.
Fingerprint and DNA testing were conducted as part of the scene examination. The officer noted something he found puzzling about the bottle, specifically that its upper section had no label and that a separate stain was visible around its middle section.
"I found it very strange," he told the court.
On the question of Forbes' account, the officer confirmed that Forbes had spoken about an argument and Tembe's threat to jump. However, when the family's lawyer asked whether Forbes had said he attempted to talk Tembe out of jumping, the officer confirmed Forbes had made no such mention during their interaction.
Source: Instagram
What you should know about Anele Tembe's inquest
Briefly News previously reported that the inquest into the death of Anele Tembe has been postponed after the presiding magistrate experienced a medical emergency.
As a result, the inquest will now be heard over five days, from 7 to 9 September 2026, with two additional dates set aside for 15 and 16 September 2026.
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Source: Briefly News
