Thabo Bester: Dr Nandipha Magudumana Denied Bail As Court Says She's a Flight Risk

Thabo Bester: Dr Nandipha Magudumana Denied Bail As Court Says She's a Flight Risk

  • Dr Nandipha Magudumana, Thabo Bester's girlfriend, has been denied bail by the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court
  • Magistrate Estelle De Lange said she believes that Magudumana is a flight risk
  • South Africans have welcomed the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court's decision to keep her behind bars

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BLOEMFONTEIN - Thabo Bester's lover, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, appeared at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Monday, 11 September, to learn her fate.

Dr Nandipha Magudumana appears at Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court
Dr Nandipha Magudumana will remain in prison after she was denied bail by the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court. Images: Frikkie Kapp/Gallo Images
Source: Getty Images

Magudumana was arrested in Tanzania alongside Bester, who had escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Services facility with Dr Nandipha's help.

During proceedings, the magistrate first confirmed that Magudumana is facing Schedule 5 criminal offences, which means that she had the onus to prove that her release on bail was in the interest of justice.

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Dr Nandipha Magudumana denied bail

Magistrate Estelle De Lange found that Magudumana did not satisfy the court in proving that her release on bail was in the interest of justice.

She stated that Magudumana and Bester had no intention of returning to the country when they skipped the country.

The court added that Dr Nandipha did not give sufficient evidence to show that Bester kidnapped her as she claimed during her bail hearing, reports SABC News.

"The applicant is a flight risk and no bail conditions will assist. I find that she didn't satisfy the court that she be released on bail," said De Lange.

De Lange added that there is no evidence that Magudumana would not try to flee the country or try to help Bester escape from prison again.

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TimesLIVE reported that Magudumana will be remanded in custody and is expected to appear in court on 11 October.

South Africans celebrate outcome of Dr Nandipha's bail hearing

@Annie_Modiba said:

"Danko! She should stay behind bars."

@MrQuarantines said:

"She messed up by not handing herself over to the police and by crossing the borders illegally, those two factors totally destroyed her today. #DrNandiphaMagudumana"

@Edgar199 said:

"She gave it away by being cozy cozy with Bester in court. The court registered that and it played against her. The arrogance she had was on another level... even coming singing in court today just shows she has no remorse instead of being humble. God is justice."

@SisMokgaetje said:

"UGirl was never gonna make it on this one... no evidence that she was kidnapped by Bester. Given bail, she was gonna plan a serious escape to another country, they were gonna find her again. Bo Nandi ke di gabadiya shem, she is dangerous this one."

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Nandipha Magudumana prays in court on her birthday

Briefly News previously reported that a video of Thabo Bester's girlfriend at her bail hearing at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court had South Africans feeling less sympathetic for her.

Four months after her arrest in Tanzania, the disgraced doctor finally decided to apply for bail.

Magudumana appeared in the dock on Monday, 4 September, which was her birthday. She sported a new hairstyle and seemingly silently prayed while proceedings were ongoing.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Lebogang Mashego avatar

Lebogang Mashego (Current Affairs HOD) Lebogang Mashego runs the Current Affairs desk. She joined the Briefly News team in 2021. She has 6 years of experience in the journalism field. Her journalism career started while studying at Rhodes University, where she worked for the Oppidan Press for 3 years. She worked as a lifestyle writer and editor at W24 and Opera News. She graduated with a BA degree majoring in Journalism and Media Studies in 2017. She's a recipient of the INMA Elevate Scholarship. Email: lebogang.mashego@briefly.co.za

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