Timeslive, by Yoliswa Sobuwa
An order for tequila shooters was requested on the morning Anele Tembe fell to her death from the 10th floor of a Cape Town hotel by Kiernan “Aka” Forbes and members of his entourage.
The order for the alcohol to be brought to room 105 was refused, the inquest into her death heard on Wednesday.
The Evidence was given by the Pepperclub Hotel’s general manager and director as the Cape Town magistrate’s court continued its formal inquest into the circumstances surrounding the 22-year-old’s death in April 2021. The inquest began on Monday, more than five years after Tembe’s death, with six witnesses taking the stand, including two police officers, a hotel manager, a neighbour, a businessperson who supplied video footage to police and a hotel employee. The court ruled the identities of some witnesses could not be published. We were sitting next to the reception area and we heard they were ordering tequila shooters… We had heard about the incident in that room and it did not make sense, especially after that happened
– Witness
“I said it was not something we should entertain. They were not happy about the restrictions and I had to speak to them”, he testified.
Asked about Forbes’ reaction when told no alcohol would be supplied, the manager said the rapper was not upset but appeared unhappy with the decision.
“We did not discuss it. It was a decision that could not be revoked,” he said.
Another witness, a guest who was at the hotel, also testified about hearing of alcohol orders that morning. The witness told the court that while having breakfast shortly after 9am, she overheard a waitress taking an order as they were seated close to the desk with the hotel’s phone. “We were sitting next to the reception area and we heard they were ordering tequila shooters. We heard because the waitress repeated their order and confirmed the room number. We had heard about the incident in that room and it did not make sense, especially after what happened”, she testified.
[AKA] asked the police what’s the next step. I remember him asking the police if he could make a statement while he still remembered
– Hotel manager
The evidence follows testimony on Monday about the condition of the hotel room after Tembe’s fall. A police officer who attended the scene told the court the room was in disarray, with blood found on towels lying on the floor, on linen and around a champagne bottle. The court also heard on Monday from the first police officer to arrive at the scene. He testified that Forbes was distraught and told him: “My fiancée is gone, I will never see my fiancée again.” The hotel manager said he did not recall Forbes asking him about Tembe’s condition or what had happened to her.
He said he recalled Forbes asking police what would happen next. “He asked the police what’s the next step. I remember him asking the police if he could make a statement while he still remembered”, the manager testified.
The inquest continues.
