Thabo Bester Arrives at Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court for 1st Appearance Since Repatriation From Tanzania

• Thabo Bester is set to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's court on Friday, 14 April
• Bester infamously escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Facility on 3 May 2022 and was recaptured in Tanzania on Friday, 7 April
• The captured fugitive faces multiple charges, including escaping from lawful custody, defeating the ends of justice, violation of a dead body and fraud

BLOEMFONTEIN- SA's infamous captured fugitive, Thabo Bester, has been in the country for less than 24 hours and has already been transported to Bloemfontein for his first court appearance.

The convicted murderer and rapist was transported to the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court from the maximum security Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Facility in Pretoria.

Bester is expected to appear before the court at 11am on Friday, 14 April.

Video shows Thabo Bester arriving at the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court with heavy police escort

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EWN reporter Kgomotso Modise shared videos of Bester arriving at the Bloemfontein court under heavy police and Correctional Services escort.

At this stage, Bester is facing charges of escaping from lawful custody, defeating the ends of justice, violation of a dead body and fraud, eNCA reported.

The captured fugitive's partner in crime, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, also appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Thursday, 13 April.

Magudumana was charged with aiding and abetting an escape, defeating the ends of justice, violation of a dead body, murder and fraud. Bester's girlfriend's case was postponed until Monday, 17 April, for a bail information sitting.

Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha Magudumana repatriated from Tanzania

The pair were on the run for several weeks after news of Bester's elaborate escape broke.

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Bester and Magadumana were eventually arrested in Tanzania on Friday, 7 April, and after a speedy deportation process, arrived in South Africa in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Three others have been arrested concerning Bester's escape, including Magadumana's father, Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni, a former G4S prison warder, Senohe Matsoara, and a CCTV technician.

G4S inmate gives detailed insight into Thabo Bester’s escape, Mzansi believes captured fugitive was released

In another story, Briefly News reported that an anonymous G4S-run Mangaung Correctional Centre inmate has detailed how Thabo Bester escaped prison.

The insight has led South Africans to believe that the fugitive was released from prison with the help of prison officials.

A prisoner who was at the Magaung prison the day Bester escaped told SABC News that there was a flurry of activity outside Bester's cell the night of the prison break.

Source: Briefly News