Police to investigate South African rapper AKA after his naked fiancée 'fell to her death'


Police to investigate South African rapper AKA after his naked fiancée ‘fell to her death from the 10th floor of a five-star hotel’ in Cape Town

  • Anele ‘Nelli’ Tembe, 22, was found dead outside a Cape Town hotel on Sunday
  • She was seen dancing with her rapper fiancée AKA in a nightclub hours before
  • Shouting was heard coming from the couple’s penthouse before the tragedy 
  • The pair got engaged in February after a year together and were to marry in 2021

Detectives are investigating South African rapper AKA after his  fiancée allegedly fell to her death from the 10th floor of a luxurious five-star hotel while naked.

Anele ‘Nelli’ Tembe, 22, who was engaged to AKA, real name Kiernan Jarryd Forbes was found dead on Sunday morning outside the exclusive Pepperclub Hotel in Central Cape Town, just hours after the couple were seen dancing together in a local nightclub.

AKA is one of South Africa’s wealthiest and most popular musicians who has bridged the country’s racial divide with a string of hit songs. 

He and Nelli had been dating for just over a year and got engaged in February with plans to marry later this year.

Detectives are investing the death of Anele ‘Nelli’ Tembe, 22, the fiancée of one of South Africa’s leading rappers AKA, real name Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, after she allegedly fell naked from the 10th floor of a luxurious five-star hotel

Detectives are investing the death of Anele ‘Nelli’ Tembe, 22, the fiancée of one of South Africa’s leading rappers AKA, real name Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, after she allegedly fell naked from the 10th floor of a luxurious five-star hotel

Tembe was found dead on Sunday morning outside the exclusive Pepperclub Hotel in Central Cape Town, just hours after the couple were seen dancing together in a local nightclub

Tembe was found dead on Sunday morning outside the exclusive Pepperclub Hotel in Central Cape Town, just hours after the couple were seen dancing together in a local nightclub

According to local police investigating the case, paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after 8am to discover Nelli naked on the pavement outside the hotel, where she was pronounced dead shortly after.

In the moments leading up to the tragedy, a security guard reported hearing shouting and screaming from the hotel’s penthouse, where she had been staying with AKA.

The security guard told South African media: ‘I thought it was a car crash and we went to look and at first we didn’t see anything, and then someone shouted that there was someone lying on the street.

‘We went closer and saw a naked young woman, she was still breathing at that time.’

Nelli came from one of South Africa’s wealthiest families and attended the prestigious Durban Girls’ College. 

She went on to carve out a career as a professional chef after studying at the Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine, one of the country’s leading culinary schools.

Her father is multi-millionaire businessman and philanthropist Moses Tembe, 58.

AKA is one of South Africa’s wealthiest and most popular musicians who has bridged the country’s racial divide with a string of hit songs. He and Nelli had been dating for just over a year and got engaged in February with plans to marry later this year

AKA is one of South Africa’s wealthiest and most popular musicians who has bridged the country’s racial divide with a string of hit songs. He and Nelli had been dating for just over a year and got engaged in February with plans to marry later this year

Nelli’s cousin is US-based actress Nondumiso Tembe, who has starred in a range of popular films and TV shows including Avengers; Age of Ultron and True Blood.

The actress shared a picture on Instagram of her kissing Nelli with the caption: ‘words fail me right now’ and ‘We will hold you in our hearts forever.’

Nelli’s death has sent shockwaves through South Africa with friends, family and friends posting messages of support.

Nelli’s cousin is US-based actress Nondumiso Tembe, who has starred in a range of popular films and TV shows including Avengers; Age of Ultron and True Blood

Nelli’s cousin is US-based actress Nondumiso Tembe, who has starred in a range of popular films and TV shows including Avengers; Age of Ultron and True Blood

AKA’s publicist Phumza Nohashe told South African media he was ‘doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances.’

She added: ‘He lost the love of his life, someone he had taken advanced steps, culturally, to spend the rest of his life with.’

Phumza said the star was ‘still trying to make sense of it all’ and has his mother Lynne and father Tony by his side.

A joint statement released by AKA and Nelli’s family said: ‘We are still in shock and are dealing with our emotions, as she was an exceptional and gifted young woman, with so much life ahead of her. 

‘She had a sweet nature about her and was always nurturing to those around her.’

Nelli’s former culinary schoolteacher, Jackie Cameron, also shared memories about the ‘beautiful young girl’ in a social media post describing her as a ‘person full of youthful energy and oozing potential.’

Nelli’s former school friends posted: ‘Nelli is remembered at College for her tenacity, vibrant energy, intelligence, beauty and amazing culinary skills.’

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