CAPE TOWN – A doctor who examined rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes shortly after the death of his fiancée, Anele Tembe, has told an inquest that the musician had multiple fresh scratches and bruises on his body.

The testimony emerged in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 20 October, as the formal inquest continued examining the circumstances surrounding Tembe’s death in April 2021.

Tembe, who was 22 years old, died after falling from the tenth floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town, where she had been staying with Forbes.

The inquest is examining whether her death resulted from an accident, an intentional act or unlawful conduct by another person.

Doctor describes injuries on AKA

The doctor testified that he examined Forbes shortly after Tembe’s death and observed fresh scratches and bruises on several parts of his body.

The injuries were recorded on his left forearm, right leg, right knee and neck.

According to the doctor’s testimony, the marks appeared consistent with injuries caused by sharp and blunt objects.

He estimated that they were relatively recent at the time of the examination.

The doctor also described Forbes as stressed and agitated.

Although the rapper cooperated with the examination, the doctor said it was difficult to obtain a complete explanation of how the injuries had occurred.

The medical evidence does not, by itself, establish who caused the injuries or whether they were connected to the circumstances of Tembe’s fall.

Forensic reconstruction raises competing possibilities

The doctor’s testimony followed evidence presented by forensic analyst Lieutenant-Colonel Jeremy Philander.

Philander told the court that his reconstruction of the scene supported more than one possible explanation for Tembe’s fatal fall.

His calculations indicated that the physical evidence was consistent with either a jump or an aggressive push from the balcony.

During cross-examination, he maintained that both scenarios remained possible.

The court also heard that evidence suggested Tembe had been standing on the outside ledge of the balcony before falling.

Investigators examined the distance between the building and the position where her body landed, along with markings and other evidence recovered from the scene.

The forensic findings have not conclusively established whether Tembe jumped or was pushed.

Toxicology evidence examined

The inquest also heard evidence from a toxicologist concerning substances detected in samples collected from Tembe’s body.

The testimony included findings relating to cocaine and its metabolites, alcohol-associated compounds and substances linked to prescribed psychiatric medication.

The toxicologist explained that the presence of these substances could not, on its own, establish the precise circumstances of Tembe’s death.

The evidence forms part of the wider examination of her physical condition and the events preceding the fall.

Pathologist addresses neck injuries

A forensic pathologist also testified about injuries observed during the post-mortem examination.

The court heard that there was no clear pathological evidence of strangulation, despite injuries being identified on the front of Tembe’s neck.

The pathologist said the injuries could have resulted from different mechanisms, including contact or compression during the fall.

The post-mortem examination attributed Tembe’s death to multiple blunt-force injuries.

The evidence did not establish that she had been strangled before falling.

Tony Forbes questions scrutiny of evidence

AKA’s father, Tony Forbes, has publicly questioned whether certain aspects of the evidence have been adequately challenged during the proceedings.

He raised concerns about apparent differences between witness descriptions of his son’s injuries and the information recorded in medical documentation.

Those concerns have not been established as findings by the court.

The inquest is considering testimony from medical professionals, police investigators and forensic experts to determine what the available evidence can reliably establish.

Inquest postponed to November

The proceedings have been postponed to 17 November 2026.

Seven witnesses gave evidence during the two-day hearing, including forensic specialists and medical professionals.

The central question surrounding Tembe’s death remains unresolved.

An inquest is a judicial process intended to establish the circumstances of a death and whether another person’s unlawful conduct may have contributed to it.

It is not itself a criminal trial.

No court has concluded that Anele Tembe was murdered, that she died by suicide or that AKA was responsible for her death. The inquest must assess the evidence before reaching its findings.

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