How rapist Thabo Bester escaped prison and attempted to flee to Kenya
Mr Thabo Bester, a South African national who was convicted for rape, was assisted by senior security guards attached to G4S to sneak out of Mangaung Correctional Centre, the court has now been told.
New evidence of Mr Bester’s escape and how a body of a man identified as Mr Katlego Bareng ended up in his cell came to light at the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court this week as a police witness took the stand.
Mr Bester was mid last month arrested alongside his socialite girlfriend Dr Nandipha Magudumana in Tanzania as he was heading to Kenya. His mission in Kenya remains unclear as they are yet to give more details of the trip.
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South African media reported that the investigating officer in the case Mr Tieho Flyman has information reportedly provided in a confession made by a prison CCTV technician who was paid Sh246,000 instead of Sh179 million for his blind-eye bribe.
“The media was also barred from recording or broadcasting live the bail proceedings. The police evidence was presented over a two-day period set aside for the bail application of the five former G4S employees, charges with aiding and abetting Mr Bester in his escape,” international media in South Africa reported.
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Former G4S guards Senohe Matsoara, Motenyani Masukela, Tieho Makhotsa and Natassja Jansen, as well as Integration Integrated Solutions technician Teboho Lipholo, appeared again in court on Friday, May 12, 2023, after their bail hearing rolled over from Thursday.
They have all indicated that they intend to plead not guilty.
Dr Magudumana, the girlfriend and an accomplice of the convict, provisionally abandoned her bail application on Thursday, May 11, 2023.
According to her lawyer, Adv Frans Dlamini, “new information” has come to light which still needs to be examined.
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