Thabo Bester: Nandipha Magudumana and co-accused remanded in custody as bail hearing postponed

The bail application of Dr Nandipha Magudumana, the lover of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester, has been postponed to 11 and 12 May 2023.

Accused

Magudumana appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday with her three co-accused – former G4S security supervisor Senohe Matsoara, suspended G4S guard Motenyane John Masukela, and Integritron CCTV technician technician Teboho James Lipholo.

Two other suspects former G4S control room operators who were arrested this week – Tieho Frans Makhotsa and Nastassja Jansen – also appeared in the dock.

Magudumana is being represented by advocates Frans Dlamini and Machini Motloung.

Charges

They are facing charges of murder, aiding the escape of a prisoner and defeating the ends of justice, among other charges.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) charges sheet, prison wardens were offered bribes of between R1 100 and R105 000 to help with the escape.

The CCTV operators were allegedly promised bribes of R2.5million – but, according to the NPA, were given payments of R40 000.

The @NPA_Prosecutes charge sheet in the Thabo Bester escape case reveals that prison wardens were offered bribes of between R1100 and R105 000 to help with the escape.
CCTV operators allegedly promised bribes of R2,5million – but, according to the NPA, were given payments of R40k

— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) May 3, 2023

Postponement

State prosecutor Sello Matlhoko requested for a postponement to May 11 and 12 for the bail application.

However, the defence team argued that an extra day is required to deal with the bail application due to the number of accused.

They proposed the dates of the 10th, 11th and 12th for a formal bail application.

However, Judge Motlholo Khabisi ruled that the bail applications of all of the accused will now be heard on 11 and 12 May.

“If it’s not finished, further dates will be discussed,” he said.

All the accused were remanded in custody until the next appearance.

ALSO READ: Thabo Bester: ‘Nandipha Magudumana not pregnant’ – Source

Bester ecape

Bester escaped from the G4S-run Mangaung Correctional Centre (MCC) in Bloemfontein in May 2022, after it was initially believed he had died by suicide after setting himself alight in his cell.

The Facebook rapist and his lover Magudumana were arrested last month, about 10km outside Arusha in Tanzania, after fleeing the hotel they were staying in.

ALSO READ: Tanzanian Police probe how Thabo Bester and Nandipha slipped through checkpoints