Johannesburg - Build One South Africa (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane is calling for Police Minister Bheki Cele to resign amid convicted fraudster, rapist, murderer and fugitive Thabo Bester walk-out of a Mangaung prison without being noticed.
Currently, Bester’s whereabouts is unknown. It is reported that celebrity doctor, Nandipha Magudumana was allegedly involved in aiding the convict to escape and the two are said to have vanished without a trace.
Bester’s escape has attracted a lot of attention after the Correctional Services Department (DCS) confirmed that the convict escaped after faking his death last year May.
Last year, DSC reported that Bester had committed suicide by setting himself alight at his Cell 35 at Mangaung Correctional Centre, a public-private partnership facility contracted and operated by G4S.
In 2012, Bester was sentenced to life in prison for luring women on Facebook, promising them modelling jobs, then robbing and raping his victims and killing at least one.
A post-mortem conducted on the body that was burnt beyond recognition revealed that it was an adult man with blunt force trauma to his head.
“The post-mortem report revealed that there were no signs of smoke inhalation in the body,” said DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.
The SAPS confirmed that they were investigating a case of murder escape and a manhunt had been launched and top cops activated to investigate the matter.
South Africans are asking questions about how Bester escaped from a maximum security prison and how the body landed in the cell.
Chad Thomas, organised crime investigator at IRS Forensic Investigations Chad Thomas said the fact that the body was burnt was to hide the identity of the individual and who would have really cared about a person who had been in prison for some of the most heinous crimes.
Magudumana was recently spotted with Bester at a supermarket in Sandton just after his alleged death.
Nkosinathi Sekeleni, the brother of Magudumana, speaking in an interview yesterday, said he did not know where his sister was and emphasised that he was not a whistle-blower and raised concern about his safety and that of his family.
A Facebook screenshot from last year where Sekeleni implicated his sister in an alleged relationship with Bester is currently circulating.
Then, Sekeleni wrote: “Don’t be fooled by her looks and charm, Madudumana is in daily contact with the monster by the name of Thabo Bester, once dubbed Facebook rapist.”
Sekeleni has since changed tune, saying at that the time he had had fallout with his sister; the matter went to court and they reached an amicable agreement and he put down the post and apologised.
He also refused to be drawn to Bester’s prison escape shenanigan. He said he had not been in touch with his sister.
“I have not seen her, I have not tried to be in touch with her because I was not sure what was going on,” Sekeleni said.
He said he could not mention anything involving their parents after it was reported that they had visited her luxurious house in the northern suburbs.
Maimane said victims of Bester were sitting watching a theatre take place in front of them and feeling secondary violation given that there was an absence of justice.
“About 67 and 70 people are killed every day without any consequence. We need to reform the whole police system. When I talk about our 10-point plan which we tabled, we got to bring more police closer to the ground. Cele in this instance has failed, every single day there is genuine failure around policing crime, arresting criminals, keeping prisoners in jail and that people are able to continue crime even from police cells shows that we have an ineffective police ministry and ineffective police minister,” Maimane said.
Cele’s spokesperson Lirandzu Themba at the time of publication had not commented.
Maimane also said the silence by Justice Minister Ronald Lamola on the matter was worrying.
“The silence of Lamola must be called upon. I want the minister of justice to come and demonstrate to the people of South Africa how the ecosystem of justice is collapsing,” Maimane said.
However, Lamola’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri said the ministry was not yet in a position to speak on the matter.
“There is still a report from the Inspectorate Judge which is outstanding. Once we have that report we will be in a position to provide a comprehensive response to members of the public,” Phiri said.
The Star