…Researched and contributed by Solomon Thomas.
Thabo Bester, who was convicted of rape and murder with the help of Facebook evidence, is set to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court in the Free State after returning to South Africa on Thursday morning with his girlfriend Dr Nandipha Magudumana.
They were arrested in Tanzania on 7 April 2023.
Bester escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022, and upon his return, he was held at the Kgosi Mampuru prison in Pretoria.
His accomplice, Dr Nandi, appeared in court yesterday, and her case was postponed to Monday next week.
Dr Nandipha Magudumana, who allegedly helped Bester escape from prison, made a brief appearance in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 13 April.
Alongside her was Teboho Lipholo, the technician who was arrested for aiding and abetting Bester’s escape.
Lipholo’s name was mentioned before the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services on Wednesday.
Magudumana and Lipholo face charges of defeating the ends of justice and helping a prisoner escape.
Bester’s case is well-known due to the use of Facebook evidence to convict him of rape and murder in 2021.
His return to South Africa and subsequent court appearance has garnered significant media attention, particularly as he escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2022.