High Court Dismisses Bester and Magudumana’s Bid To Block Netflix Docuseries ‘Beauty and the Bester’

• The Pretoria High Court delivered a ruling on Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha Magudumana's urgent application to stop Netflix from releasing a three-part docuseries
• Bester and Magudumana argued that the documentary would harm their dignity, prejudice their trial, and compromise their right to a free trial
• In her ruling on Friday, 12 September 2025, Judge Sulet Poterill reminded Bester and Magudumana that they could sue Netflix for defamation after the docuseries airs

The Pretoria High Court has dismissed convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester and his alleged accomplice Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s bid to block Netflix from releasing a three-part documentary Beauty and the Bester. The docuseries examines the circumstances of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester’s escape from prison.

Magudumana and Bester filed an urgent application, seeking an interdict to block Netflix from airing the documentary which details their story.

The duo argued that the documentary would prejudice them, infringe on their right to a fair trial, dignity, and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

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Court dismisses Bester and Magudumana's urgent application

In a ruling delivered on Friday, 12 September 2025, Judge Sulet Poterill allowed Netflix to release the Beauty and the Bester documentary as scheduled on Friday, 12 September 2025.

Judge Sulet Poterill struck off both Nandipha Magudumana and Thabo Bester’s urgent applications from the roll and ordered them to pay costs at an attorney-client scale.

"I have exercised my discretion and the order of costs is as follows; the applicant is to pay the costs on scale C," Judge Sulet Poterill said.

Judge Poterill ruled that Bester and Magudumana's applications lacked urgency and merit. She also dismissed convicted rapist Thabo Bester's argument that the release of the docuseries would prejudice him, infringe on his right to a fair trial, dignity, and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

She reminded Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana that they can always sue Netflix for defamation should they feel that the contents of the docuseries harmed their reputation.

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Judge Poterill emphasised that no judge would be influenced by the Beauty and the Bester docuseries. She reminded the duo that judges remain impartial and witnesses will still face cross-examination.

"Defamation can be sued for. The case law is clear. Furthermore, the right to silence, the right to a fair trial, and the right to be innocent until found guilty is not in any way affected by the utterances referred to. No judge will be influenced by any documentary. Witnesses will be exposed to cross-examination. The public will form an opinion but that is a by byproduct of the criminal justice system and does not affect the rights of Mr. Bester as claimed," Judge Poterill said.

Pearl Thusi's history with Thabo Bester uncovered in docuseries

Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that the Netflix series Beauty and the Bester would also reveal a great deal about Pearl Thusi's brush with Thabo Bester.

An emotional Pearl Thusi was featured in a trailer promoting the three-part docuseries. According to Sunday World, Pearl Thusi had an encounter with the man who is dubbed the 'Facebook Rapist' 13 years ago.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News