‘Still in custody’ – Correctional Services dismisses claims Sandile Mantsoe escaped from prison

Convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester is back in the spotlight again amid claims fellow murderer Sandile Mantsoe was spotted around Johannesburg a few days ago.

Dubbed the Facebook rapist after several robberies, rape and murder, Bester was sentenced to 50 years in jail by the Durban Magistrate’s Court in 2011.

However, Bester took South Africa by storm after his escape from Mangaung prison following a fire last year. A charred body was found in his cell and presumed to be that of Bester.

ALSO READ: Rolex watches among items worth R29m ‘stolen’ from Thabo Bester during his arrest

His plan went south after being spotted shopping at a Woolworths in Sandton City, nearly two months after his reported death at the prison.

It was later found that Bester had escaped the Free State prison after faking his own death.

Following his escape from jail on 3 May 2022, a manhunt was launched, which led to his arrest in Tanzania.

He is expected back in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on 11 October after his case was postponed for further investigation.

Murderer ‘spotted’ in Joburg

Bester is again trending after at least three people took to social media in the past few days claiming they saw Mantsoe roaming the streets of Joburg.

https://twitter.com/boipelomoraka_/status/1708874989825384599

Mantsoe was in 2018 sentenced to an effective 32 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend Karabo Mokoena.

Mokoena’s charred body was found in an open veld by a passerby in Lyndhurst, Johannesburg, on 29 April 2017 – a few kilometres from Mantsoe’s parent’s residence.

Mantsoe had denied killing Mokoena since her disappearance and even offered to assist with her search.

On 10 May 2017, Mantsoe was arrested and initially charged with the kidnapping of Mokoena after police uncovered some critical evidence.

ALSO READ: Karabo Mokoena’s murderer, Sandile Mantsoe faces fraud charges

Further investigations helped to deny Mantsoe bail successfully.

He was subsequently charged with murder and defeating the ends of justice for the murder of Mokoena and the burning of her corpse, and also assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm for a case Mokoena had reported in March 2017.

He was convicted and sentenced to 30 years for murder, five for assault and four for defeating the ends of justice.

I saw him too. I just can’t recall the exact day. But I saw him and immediately thought maybe he just doesn’t have a very unique face so it’s not him. Put it in the back of my mind. He’s around joburg that guy.

— ling (@NalediSekoto) October 2, 2023

Mantsoe, now facing fraud charges after allegedly luring unsuspecting victims into investing R2 million into his company, is expected to make his next court appearance on 18 October.

Mantsoe ‘still in custody’

But spokesperson Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services Chrispin Phiri says Mantsoe is still in custody.

“At about 16:35, we asked for an assurance that offender Sandile Kagiso Mantsoe is still in custody,” said Phiri on Monday.

“He is at Standerton Correctional Centre with other further charged offenders to make a total of 08 in the cell. He is at the Centre, and he never went out today.”

ALSO READ: Everything we know about Karabo’s murderer Sandile Mantsoe

Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo has also previously denied claims that Mantsoe and Bester shared a cell.