‘HOUDINI’ Thabo Bester finally appeared this morning at the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court under heavy guard.
Wearing a matching yellow tracksuit and had his hair tied back as he sat in the dock, Bester looked dejected as he kept on staring at cameras as media, SAPS, private security and Gvt officials jostled for a space in the packed court.
Dubbed the “Facebook Rapist” for the way he lured his victims and killed them, Bester will continue to serve his life sentence for rape and murder, and face the added charges of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, escaping, and violating a body.
His escape was exposed by the GroundUp hard working team, revealing Bester was not the person who was found dead in his cell, after it emerged that his accomplices, who included his lover, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, the father Zolile Sekeleni, GS4 former employee Senohe Matsoara and his co-accused and CCTV camera installer Teboho Lipholo.
As a result he spent almost a year on the run after he broke out of the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May last year.
The State’s lawyer, Sello Matlhoko, argued on Friday that Bester need not appear on Monday when court resumes.
Matlhoko said Bester’s case had been joined to that of his co-accused and the State needed a month – at least – to investigate the matter.
But Bester’s lawyer, Marvin Carpede, said his client deserved the right to a speedy trial.
The magistrate did not approve for Bester to address court.
Through his lawyer, Bester said he hadn’t eaten in 48 hours because he was scared he would be poisoned.
Ultimately, the magistrate, Mohlolo Kgabisi, said Bester had eaten safely for the last eight years, without being poisoned, and that the court could not grant him special privileges.
Bester abandoned his bail application and will appear again on 16 May.
As for Magudumana, the father and other two accomplices they will appear in court again next week as well.
G4S security should be licking their wounds for letting this slip out of sight as they’re responsible for managing the security at Mangaung Correctional Center.
Meanwhile, the department of home affairs has confirmed the true identity of Bester.
He was born in Soweto and went to a Primary School in the suburbs.
“He’s not an Alien and was born in Soweto,” confirmed the minister of HA Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, today.
Image supplied (Thabo Bester under heavy guard in handcuffs and draped in chains appeared in court today in Bloemfontein. There was no corpse or charred body in court).
