Anele Tembe Inquest to Resume in September After Court Postponement
The start of the inquest into Anele Tembe’s death has been delayed, with the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court postponing proceedings after the presiding magistrate became ill.
Proceedings were scheduled to begin on Monday in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court but have now been rescheduled to run from 7 to 9 September and continue on 15 and 16 September.
The court is expected to hear testimony from six subpoenaed witnesses during the inquest.
Court to examine circumstances surrounding her death
According Mail & Guardian, the inquest will seek to establish how Tembe died and determine whether anyone may bear legal responsibility for her death.
Tembe, the daughter of businessman Moses Tembe, died in April 2021 after falling from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town. She had been engaged to rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, who was with her in the hotel room shortly before the incident.
Unlike a criminal trial, the proceedings will not involve an accused person. Instead, the magistrate will assess the available evidence before deciding whether the findings should be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for possible criminal action.
Forensic evidence expected to take centre stage
The court is expected to hear evidence from police investigators, forensic specialists and other witnesses.
CCTV footage, cellphone records and witness statements are also expected to form part of the proceedings.
The inquest follows the publication of CCTV footage showing Tembe’s final moments, which has prompted renewed scrutiny after apparent differences emerged between some witness accounts and what was captured on camera.
Text messages exchanged between Tembe and Forbes are also expected to be presented as evidence. The messages reportedly relate to an earlier incident in Durban in which Tembe allegedly threatened to jump from a hotel building.
NPA could decide on criminal charges
The NPA previously declined to prosecute after reviewing the police investigation and forensic reports. However, the matter was later referred for further investigation before being enrolled for an inquest.
Legal experts say that if the magistrate concludes that someone may have been criminally responsible for Tembe’s death, the findings will be forwarded to prosecutors, who will decide whether criminal charges should be pursued.
With both Tembe and Forbes now deceased, the court is expected to rely heavily on forensic and circumstantial evidence when examining the events leading up to her death.
The inquest may also be extended if additional evidence emerges or further witnesses are required to testify.
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