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.

WATCH LIVE: Dr Nandipha Magudumana, three others back in court for helping Bester escape

Magudumana and three others accused of helping convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester fake his death and escape from prison are back in court today.

by Storm Simpson

17-04-2023 09:36

in News

The four people accused of helping convicted serial rapist and murderer Thabo Bester fake his death and escape from the G4S-managed Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022 are expected back in court on Monday, 17 April.

READ: Dr Nandipha Magudumana back in court alongside her father and two others

MAGUDUMANA APPEARS ALONGSIDE CO-ACCUSED

Magudumana, who is Bester’s lover, her father, Cornelius Sekeleni, former G4S prison guard, Senohe Matsoara, and former Integritron Integrated Solutions technician, Teboho Lipholo, face a string of charges related to Bester’s escape, including defeating the ends of justice and aiding and abetting a prisoner to escape. Some of the accused were also charged with murder.

It is unclear whether the accused in the matter will apply for bail on Monday. The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) has not declared whether it will be opposed to the application as yet. Last week’s postponement was for the gathering of bail information.

Bester himself appeared in court on Friday. He was remanded in custody until next month and is not appearing alongside his co-accused at this stage because he is ineligible for bail.

Bester and Magudumana were arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, last week. They returned to South Africa on Thursday.

Bester is being held in Pretoria at the Kgosi Mampuru II maximum security prison.