In May it was reported that the inquest involving the death of Anele Tembe was concluded. However, it has now emerged that the South African Police Service (SAPS) are now handling the case. This after City Press reported that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) have passed the docket back to the police.
The late Anele 'Nelli' Tembe fell to her death at the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town on April 11. Her death was then investigated, but 3 months later, the Tembe family still has not found closure.
TshisaLive reported that the NPA sent out a statement which says it is 'standard procedure' to pass the inquest back to the police if the person passed away due to unnatural causes.
“The matter concerning the deceased, Ms Anele Tembe, was referred to the office of the Western Cape director of public prosecutions. The docket was subsequently returned to the police for further investigation.
"Further investigation was requested, as is standard for all matters where the deceased dies of unnatural causes. The matter is still under investigation by the police and is receiving the required attention,” said Western Cape NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila to the publication.
Kiernan Forbes in an interview with journalist Thembekile Mrototo on Bar Leader's YouTube channel, spoke about the day Anele died and what caused their fight. Shortly after Anele's death made rounds, a couple claimed to have heard a woman screaming and shouting for help during an altercation with what they speculate to have been a lover.
He recounted the many times Anele has ever been suicidal in his presence and he said that morning, Anele also threatened to jump of the balcony. Without trying to encourage her, AKA said he went to the bathroom to catch a breather and was even looking into booking himself another room away from Anele.
To his dismay, when he left the bathroom, Anele was no where in sight and he was left devastated when he saw her body on the ground.
"And things got more heated to the point where it was the early hours of the morning. So at one point, when things started to take a turn I decided that it would be best for me to remove myself from the situation. I decided I was going to gather my belongings and book myself into another room and hopefully things will simmer down.
"Got to the point where we argued more and the thing that really breaks my heart – I have my ring with me – it’s the only thing that I have of her belongings and she took it off and threw it at me. We said very mean things to each other and I left the room. Came back to her room because I had taken her phone," he continued.
"And things took a turn for the worst when we got to a point in the argument where Anele kind of threatened to kill herself. I had called reception for security and kind of tried to remove myself from the situation. And I think out of panic, I didn’t want to be there or feel that this was going to happen. So I went to the bathroom and when I came out of the bathroom she wasn’t in the room. And I looked around the room – she wasn’t there – I get to the balcony and I look down to the street, that’s where she was.”
