What happened to Katlego Bereng? Facts about his cause of death
The Thabo Bester mystery story is slowly becoming a jigsaw puzzle, and more revelations on the case are proving to be a milestone in getting closer to unveiling the truth. The latest discovery is Katlego Bereng. Find out how his body was used as a decoy in the case.
Source: UGC
Katlego Bereng went missing in April 2022, prompting his family to embark on the emotionally gruelling journey of looking for him. Learning that Katlego Bereng's body was found in Thabo Bester's cell after he escaped prison left the family grief-stricken. How was he looped into the mysterious case?
Unknown facts about Katlego Bereng
The latest updates about the Thabo Bester case have stirred more questions about Katlego Bereng's biography. These details answer crucial questions about the case. How did his body end up in Thabo Bester's cell at the Mangaung Correctional Centre?
Katlego Bereng's age
According to reports and Katlego Mpholo's father's recent interview, his son was 30 years old when he went missing in April 2022.
Source: UGC
Katlego Bereng's parents
Katlego Bereng's parents were identified as Batho Mpholo and Monica Matsie. Batho resides in Tembisa, east of Johannesburg, while Katlego lived in Bloemfontein with his grandmother. His mother also lived in Bloemfontein.
After learning of the devastating news concerning his son's demise, a grief-stricken Batho could not hide his emotions as he stated:
I am broken. My heart is shattered into a million pieces. I cannot believe it, his mother Monica, is devastated. She is in a complete state of shock. She is not able to talk yet. This is devastating news.
Batho narrated calling his son's mother in April 2022 inquiring about Katlego's whereabouts since he was not answering his calls and texts. He also realised that his son had stopped posting on social media, which he found strange because Bereng loved social media. Futile attempts at reaching him prompted him to report to the police and search for him.
Katlego Bereng's mother
Batho recalled Monica telling him that she had asked for a DNA test done since a body had been found, and the police suspected it could be her son. However, they did not disclose their intention to match her DNA with the body recovered in Thabo Bester's cell. The police only reached out on Friday, 21st April 2023, confirming that the charred body was Katlego's.
Source: UGC
Katlego Bereng's cause of death
In May 2022, Katlego Mpholo's body was smuggled into the Mangaung Correctional Centre into Thabo Bester's cell. It would later be burnt beyond recognition in what looked like a planned fire. Later, reports emerged that Thabo Bester had been found dead in his cell. However, the fire was a distraction for Thabo Bester to escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre.
Reports from the Bloemfontein police alleged Katlego collapsed in town due to substance abuse. He later died in a hospital and was checked into a government mortuary in Bloemfontein. However, the family has firmly denied the claims. According to his father, many details about his son's last hours are still lacking.
Conflicting police records
As per the details of an autopsy report released by Police Minister Bheki Cele in March 2023, the deceased died due to blunt-force trauma to the head. The report further alludes that Katlego was presumed dead before the cell was set ablaze, opposing the assumption that he died in the fire.
Katlego Bereng's wife
According to snippets from Katlego Mpholo's Facebook account, he had a partner, Thando Boleme. Allegedly, Katlego was also a father to two kids, a three-year-old boy and a girl, who will turn four in May 2023. Katlego was also an ardent football fan who supported Bloemfontein Celtic. He also loved fast cars; his preferred model was the BMW Gusheshe Alpina.
Association to Thabo Bester
Thabo Bester broke out of prison in 2022 after faking his death. The charred body recovered in his cell, believed to be his, was Katlego Bereng Mpholo's. The authorities re-examined Katlego's body in March 2023 and confirmed that it was not that of Thabo Bester.
The confirmation coincided with public outrage caused by news alluding that the wanted convict had escaped. Thabo Bester was convicted in 2012 and was serving a life sentence following the defilement and murder of his then-girlfriend, Nomfundo Tyhulu. He was also charged with robbing two other women in 2011.
Source: UGC
Dr Nandipha
After the escape, Thabo Bester lived undetected for a year. However, he was eventually arrested alongside his girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, on 7th April 2023 in Tanzania. The two were deported to South Africa and are facing a myriad of charges, although they are yet to comment on the accusations.
Dr Nandipha's father, Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni, was also arrested for claims of being an accomplice in Katlego Mpholo's death. The National Prosecuting Authority withdrew the murder charges against Cornelius on 17th April 2023.
The latest updates on Katlego Bereng's fate left Mzansi devastated. The police believe it is a step in the family finding closure. His father is urgently seeking answers and justice for his son.
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