Dr Nandipha Magudumana, alongside Teboho Lipholo, the 44-year-old man who was arrested by police on Wednesday, made a brief appearance in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday afternoon, 13 April. Image: Screenshot from video/SABC News.
Dr Nandipha Magudumana and technician appear in court for helping Thabo Bester escape
Magudumana and Teboho Lipholo appeared in court on Thursday, facing charges of aiding and abetting the escape of convicted serial rapist Thabo Bester.
Dr Nandipha Magudumana, alongside Teboho Lipholo, the 44-year-old man who was arrested by police on Wednesday, made a brief appearance in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday afternoon, 13 April. Image: Screenshot from video/SABC News.
Dr Nandipha Magudumana made a brief appearance in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday afternoon, 13 April, alongside Teboho Lipholo, the 44-year-old man who was arrested by police on Wednesday.
READ: Who is Teboho Lipholo? CCTV technician embroiled in Thabo Bester escape saga
Postponement requested for accused to appear together in court
Magudumana and escaped serial rapist and murderer Thabo Bester returned to South Africa in the early hours of Thursday after being deported from Tanzania, where they were arrested.
The other accused is a technician contracted to Integritron, the company that installs and maintains cameras for G4S at the Mangaung Correctional Centre, which Bester escaped from in May 2022 after faking his death. Lipholo’s name was mentioned before the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services on Wednesday.
An Integritron affidavit alleged that Lipholo admitted to deliberately switching off the recorders that would have captured Bester’s escape, per News24.
Magudumana and Lipholo face charges of defeating the ends of justice and helping a prisoner escape.
The State requested that the matter be postponed to Monday, 17 April, so the accused, who did not plead, can appear alongside accused 1 and 2 in the matter, which is Magudumana’s father, Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni, and former G4S guard Senohe Ishmael Matsoara.
Sekeleni and Matsoara were charged with arson, fraud and defeating the ends of justice and murder.
Earlier on Thursday, National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said Magudumana would be facing charges related to aiding and abetting the escape of Bester.
“She will also be facing murder for a number of bodies that we did find in her possession. Also, violation of bodies and also fraud charges,” said Masemola.
The State will also gather information for a possible bail application.
The accused were remanded in custody.
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