Thabo Bester, Dr Nandi and co-accused return to court amidst dramatic escape saga

Thabo Bester, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, and seven co-accused are set to return to the Free State High Court for a pretrial conference on Wednesday morning.

Bester’s co-accused include Magudumana’s father Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni, his driver Xanda Moyo, camera technicians Teboho Lipholo and James Lipholo, G4S employees Motanyane Masukela, Tieho Frans Makhotsa and Senohe Matsoara.

The group is embroiled in a legal saga tied to Bester’s sensational escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022. The escape, marked by dramatic flair, involved the alleged use of Katlego Bereng’s body as a decoy. Bereng’s body was allegedly smuggled into the facility and later set alight in Bester’s cell to stage his death.

Bester faces charges related to escaping from prison, while his co-accused are charged with defeating the ends of justice and aiding an inmate’s escape. Magudumana is accused number one and Bester is accused number seven. The two, alongside Moyo, remain in custody.

Changes legal representation

Following his escape and recapture, a series of legal manoeuvres unfolded. Bester, accompanied by his girlfriend Magudumana, faced changes in legal representation, prompting delays in court proceedings.

Bester ultimately appointed advocate Mohamed Seedat as his new legal representative after his previous lawyers withdrew from the case.

Meanwhile, the State, ready to proceed with the trial, sought clarification on whether Bester’s defence team had been paid by him, aiming to gauge their commitment to the case.

His legal journey has been characterized by shifts, with at least three representatives since his recapture in Tanzania in April 2023.

Notably, he expressed intentions to secure prominent advocates Dali Mpofu and Zandile Mshololo at various points.

The trial ahead is projected to be lengthy, with the State anticipating at least six months due to substantial disputes over almost all of the evidence presented.

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The Bester backstory

The backstory to this case is complex.

Bester had initially been arrested, charged, and sentenced for luring aspiring models with fake gigs via Facebook.

He pleaded guilty to charges including rape and the murder of Nomfundo Tyhulu. After receiving a life sentence in 2012, Bester staged his death in 2022 and escaped from prison.

Reports initially suggested he had died in his cell at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein.

However, an in-depth investigation by GroundUp revealed he was living a luxurious life in Gauteng’s Sandton suburb. Bester and Magudumana fled the country to Tanzania.

They were found about 10 kilometres from the Kenyan border with several fake passports. The two were then extradited to South Africa, where investigations into their case commenced.

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