Murder charge dropped against Thabo Bester and co-accused

The murder charge faced by Thabo Bester, girlfriend Nandipha Magudumana and their co-accused has been withdrawn by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

This was confirmed on Wednesday after the appearance of the suspects; Magudumana, Senohe Matsoara, Teboho Lipholo, Buty Masemola, Tieho Makhotsa and Nastassja Jansen.

They appeared in the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court for their alleged roles in assisting Bester escape from jail on May 22 from Mangaung Correctional Centre.

They were charged with murder after the burnt body of Katlego Mpholo was found in Bester’s prison cell.

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BODY USED

Mpholo’s body was used in Bester’s escape from prison, where he was serving a life sentence for the crimes he committed in South Africa.

Bester and his lover, Magudumana, were arrested in Tanzania last month after it was confirmed that the burnt body in his cell of Bester was not his.

Jansen and Makhotsa were recently arrested on Monday, joining their co-accused.  They face 16 charges involving violation of corpse, fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice.

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THE STATE WITHDREW

On April 17, the state withdrew the murder charge against Magudumana’s father, Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni.

 During court proceedings on Wednesday, state prosecutor Sello Matlhoko asked for the matter to be postponed to May 11 and 12, when Magudumana and her co-accused are expected to apply for bail.

Sekeleni, who is out on bail, will appear in court with Bester on 16 May.

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Matsoara, Magudumana, and Lipholo were expected to apply for bail on Wednesday, but Matlhoko told the court the matter would have to be postponed to a later date after the latest arrests of Makhotsa and Jansen.

The six will remain in custody.

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