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Thabo Bester: Nandipha and two co-accused remanded in custody
Magadumana was careful to keep her face hidden during court proceedings, however, she was instructed to remove the face mask.
Nandipha Magudumana was asked to remove her facemask during court proceedings. Picture – Screengrab
Disgraced celebrity doctor and ‘customary wife’ of convicted killer and rapist Thabo Bester, has been remanded in custody for a formal bail application set for May 3 and 4.
Nandipha Magudumana and three other suspects linked to Bester’s audacious prison break appeared in Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Monday morning.
One of the suspects is Magudumana’s father who is a former G4S employee Zolile Sekeleni. Sekeleni is the only suspect that was granted R10 000 bail with strict conditions, including regularly reporting to the Port Edward police station.
Murder charge withdrawn
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) dropped the charges of arson and murder against Sekeleni.
He is now only facing charges of aiding and abetting a prisoner to escape, defeating the ends of justice and fraud
Another co-accused, who is also a former G4S employee, Senohe Matsoara and camera installer, Teboho Lipholo, appeared alongside the father and daughter duo on charges of assisting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, defeating the ends of justice, fraud, murder and arson.
Sekeleni is back in court on May 16, while Magudumana, Matsoara and Lipholo will remain behind bars.
Nandipha shies away from court case fanfare
The aesthetic doctor kept her face hidden behind a mask and a light grey hoodie jacket.
But prosecutor, Sello Matlhoko asked Magudumana to remove her mask so she could be correctly identified for court records.
“The court itself must be satisfied with the identity [of the accused]. We might find that’s not the person. But the court needs to be satisfied that it is indeed the person being charged,” said Matlhoko.
Advocate Themba Diba argued that it was not necessary for Magudumana’s iface to be shown because her identity had been confirmed.
However, magistrate Motlholo Khabisi ordered Magudumana to expose her face.
Magudumana also blew kisses to people sitting in the public gallery. It is unclear if her friends or family members were present for the proceedings.
ALSO READ: Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana’s luxury getaways
Bester and Magudumana
Bester and Magudumana arrived back in South Africa on Thursday after Tthey were caught in Arusha, Tanzania on Wednesday, just 10km away from he Kenyan border.
The Facebook rapist faked his own death with Magudumana’s help to facilitate the prison escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre (MCC) in the Free State.
The pair were on the run since photos of Bester and Magudumana shopping for free range chicken in a upmarket Joburg Woolworths, surfaced online earlier this year.
ALSO READ: Thabo Bester: ‘Dr Nandipha said she was being held against her will’
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