AKA’s bodyguard arrested in corruption probe
KIERNAN “AKA” Forbes’s bodyguard Anwar “Dog” Khan has been arrested in connection with fraud and corruption at the University of Fort Hare.
Khan and 14 others appeared in the Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape yesterday, following their arrest over the Easter weekend.
Initially, the police said the suspects faced a string of charges ranging from fraud to corruption, kidnapping, murder and attempted murder.
However, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that all 15 faced charges of fraud, racketeering and corruption.
To date, a total of 25 people arrested were linked to crimes at the university, with some facing murder and attempted murder charges.
Fort Hare fleet manager Peet Roets was murdered in May 2022.
In January 2023, bodyguard Mboneli Vesele was shot and killed outside the university’s vice chancellor and principal Sakhela Buhlung’s house in what is believed to be a missed hit on the vice-chancellor.
It was previously reported that a bounty of R5 million was allegedly issued for the murder of Buhlungu, R350 000 for Roets, and R3m for another senior university member.
Among the arrested are taxi bosses from KZN and a 31-year-old Eastern Cape police officer, Lindokuhle Manjati.
National police commissioner, Fannie Masemola, said a team was hard at work in getting to the bottom of who was behind fraud, corruption and the murders at the university.
“They will continue to investigate and hunt those who are found to have had a hand in any wrongdoing.
“Our focus is to bring before court a case that will be able to stand in court with all the evidence that has been collected by the team,” he said.
An Eastern Cape NPA spokesperson said the matter was adjourned to today for a formal bail application and the 15 accused will remain behind bars.
The other 14 accused are: Isaac Plaatjies, Anna Smith, Paul Tladi, Lucrecia Davids, Mbulelo Gingcana, Louis Mawila, Nozuko Mabombo, Gosain van der Haar, Thamsanqa Sonjica, Terrence Joubert, Bradley Conradie, Sarah Burger, Craig Retief and Nthabiseng Makhoba.
Khan, who is the owner of The Pentagon Group, a private security agency based in KZN, was AKA’s bodyguard for years.
Khan attended the bail application of the suspects arrested for AKA’s murder of Durban Florida Road in February 2023. He said he believed the true mastermind behind AKA’s death was still at large.