South Coast link to prison escapee Thabo Bester
Thabo Bester was arrested in Tanzania, along with his girlfriend Dr Nandipha Magudumana on April 7.
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Dr Nandipha Magudumana, formerly of Port Edward, could be facing prosecution for her alleged involvement in the controversial prison escape of Thabo Bester.
Bester escaped from Mangaung Maximum Security Prison in May 2022 after he faked his death. It is alleged that after a fire in his cell, another inmate’s body was found burnt, and he left the centre dressed as a prison warden.
It is also alleged that Magudumana, formerly Nandipha Sekeleni was involved in his escape, and later claimed that she was his customary law wife and needed to take his remains (the burnt body).
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After Bester’s escape, it was found that Magudumana’s practice, Optimum Medical Aesthetic Solutions at Green Park Corner in Morningside, Sandton was closed and she had gone AWOL.
Dubbed the Facebook Rapist, Bester lured women on the social media platform, then raped and robbed them.
He was convicted in Cape Town and Durban courts for a series of crimes including murder. Initially, he was sentenced to 50 years in jail which was meted out by the Durban Regional Court in October 2011, for raping and robbing two women.
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After an appeal from his lawyers his sentence was reduced to 30 years in 2013.
Two weeks ago, DNA results from the charred remains found in his cell revealed that the body was not his and a statement confirming this was released by the Department of Correctional Services.
Magudumana matriculated at a school in Port Shepstone and obtained Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) and a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from University of the Witwatersrand.
Her family refused to comment.
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