Three more arrests expected in Thabo Bester’s case, ninth suspect abandons bail

The case against nine suspects accused of aiding convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester in his daring escape from prison has taken a new turn. The state has revealed that three more suspects will be arrested as part of the ongoing investigation.

Thabo Bester prison escape

Nine suspects appeared before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, facing multiple charges related to Bester’s escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May last year after he faked his death.

The co-accused included the convict’s alleged girlfriend and accomplice, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, her father Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni, former G4S employees Senohe Matsoara, Buti (Motenyane John) Masukela, Tieho Frans Makhotsa and Nastassja Jansen, and Integriton CCTV technician Teboho James Lipholo.

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Sekeleni and Jansen are both out on R10 000 bail each, while the other co-accused remain in custody.

Court appearance

During Tuesday’s court appearance, Bester appeared in court via video link from the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Tshwane, wearing a Louis Vuitton designer sweater that reportedly costs over R20 000. His co-accused appeared in person.

It also emerged in court that Bester’s lawyers, Advocate Jeremiah Pela and instructing attorney Tsireledzo Ndou withdrew from the case.

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This follows reports last week that Ndou faces attempted rape and assault charges. Ndou, 27, is out on R1 000 bail and is expected in court on Wednesday.

A new lawyer, Kabelo Matee, has been placed on record to represent Bester.

Three more suspects to be added

State prosecutor Sello Matlhoko requested that the case against the accused be postponed to 8 August 2023.

Matlhoko told Magistrate Motlholo Khabisi that the postponement was necessary due to outstanding police investigations.

He said the outstanding investigations included cell phone records that needed to be analysed, witness statements, and the addition of three more suspects.

“The state still requires two witness statements and we are expecting to add three more suspects in this matter.

“The police are still busy analysing the cell phone records and bank statements. That is basically the period that we think the investigations would have been completed,” said Matlhoko.

Magistrate Khabisi agreed to postpone the case to August and the defence for the accused did not object to the state’s request.

Ninth accused in Thabo Bester saga

Meanwhile, the ninth suspect arrested in relation to Bester’s escape, Zanda Moyo, also appeared in court on Tuesday. He abandoned his bid to be released on bail.

Moyo, a Zimbabwean national, was arrested in Johannesburg last week after an undercover police operation.

He is alleged to have been with Magudumana when they claimed the body of Katlego Bereng from a Free State mortuary last year.

READ: Police arrest Zimbabwean national in Thabo Bester escape saga

Bereng’s body was used as a decoy by Bester when he allegedly set it alight in his cell at the G4S-run Mangaung Correctional Centre before his escape on 3 May 2022.

Bereng disappeared days before Bester escaped from prison. His family learned of his death in April, after DNA samples were taken from his mother. He was buried last month.

Request denied

Also during Tuesday’s court appearance, Magudumana’s father’s lawyer asked Magistrate Khabisi to excuse his client from the next court appearance.

He said that Sekeleni lives far away and that he would have to travel a long distance to attend the hearing.

The magistrate denied the request, saying that it was important for the accused to be present in court.

“Accused number two [Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni] and accused number eight [Nastassja Jansen] both of you you’re on bail subject to conditions. You are both warned to come back to this court at 8:30am [ 8 August] and to remain in attendance.

“Failure to appear, a warrant of arrest will be issued [and] your bail will be provisionally cancelled and the bail money will be forfeited to the state,” he said.

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