Four suspects in the Thabo Bester escape saga appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday, April 17. Zolile Sekeleni, Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s father, was released on bail of R10 000 but the rest of the accused (Senohe Matsoara, Teboho Lipholo and Magudumana) were remanded in custody. Picture: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency (ANA)
Johannesburg – Dr Nandipha Magudumana and her co-accused are expected back at the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court for their bail hearing, which was postponed last week to today, May 11, 2023.
Last Wednesday, Magudumana, along with two former G4S employees, Teiho Frans Makhotsa and Nastassja Jansen, who were arrested last Monday, appeared alongside Magudumana, as well as three other former G4S employees, Senohe Matsoara, Buti Masukela, and CCTV technician Teboho Lipholo.
Makhotsa and Jansen are accused seven and eight in the matter involving the escape of Magudumana’s lover, Facebook rapist Thabo Bester, from the Mangaung Maximum facility last May. They are facing charges including defeating the ends of justice and aiding and abetting a prisoner to escape from prison.
Last week, the State was expected to hear a bail application for Magudumana, Matsoara, Masukela, and Lipholo, but the matter was postponed.
The court had set aside Wednesday and Thursday last week for a bail application to be heard for the four accused, but after the arrest of Makhotsa and Jansen, the State and defence teams agreed that more time would be required to deal with the bail application because of the number of accused involved.
Reports indicate that three former G4S employees were paid R40 000 each to turn a blind eye to Bester’s successful prison escape, with Matsoara, Makhotsa, and CCTV technician Lipholo being the recipients.
According to the charge sheet, the trio was supposed to have pocketed a whopping R2.5 million but were paid R40 000 each.
ActionSA Free State chairperson Patricia Kopane and some members of the party were expected to attend the court case that has sent shock waves across the country.
The Star