Government confirms ‘Facebook rapist’ Thabo Bester did not die in prison fire

An investigation by the Department of Correctional Services has found that the charred body found after a fire broke out at the Free State’s Mangaung private prison is not that of convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester.

The department said all evidence indicated that Bester escaped from jail on 3 May 2022, and a manhunt has been launched to search for him.

“Critical at this stage is for Thabo Bester to be found. DCS is appealing to the public to assist with any information that may lead to the re-arrest of Bester.”

‘Facebook rapist’

Bester, dubbed the Facebook rapist after a spate of robberies, rape and even murder, was sentenced to 50 years in jail by the Durban Magistrate’s Court in 2011.

He was aged 23 at the time.

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It emerged recently that Bester could be alive despite being declared dead by the department after a body was found in his Mangaung prison cell outside Bloemfontein in May last year.

Where he was last spotted

His seemingly daring escape and faking his own death have caused a social media stir, with many wondering who ended up dead and burned in the cell.

Spotting long hair and sunglasses, Bester was spotted shopping with celebrity medical doctor Nandipha Magudumana at a Woolworths in Sandton City nearly two months after his reported death in prison.

According to GroundUp, Bester ran a multi-million rand scam media company called 21st Century Media from his prison cell, even duping guests at the launch in Sandton when he dialled in to address them wearing a suit.

The oblivious guests even sang him a happy birthday song.

Meanwhile, government’s official version was that Bester set himself alight in his cell.

The body found in Bester’s prison cell was dead before the fire broke out, according to GroundUp.

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